Transforming Cities with Technology

The globe is rapidly urbanizing. By 2050, two of every three people will be city dwellers. As cities grow, so do their problems: Some 900 million people live in slums, and urban housing can’t keep pace with demand. Congested roads and air pollution are worsening. Already, cities churn out nearly half of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. However, urban leaders and businesses are using technology to solve these decades-old problems.

Seoul, South Korea, rates among the “most connected, digitized cities.” With 10 million residents, its population density is twice New York City’s. Seoul’s metro uses real-time data, such as passenger volume measured via “smart cameras,” to regulate the flow...