a classical Greek democratic gathering of people in the outside agora, discussing the hot topics of today. At the end of the meeting hall, there's a 21st-centry big screen with all sorts of data, social media referrals and infographics with pie charts. 4k --ar 16:9
AI-generated image of a classical Greek democratic gathering of people in the outside agora, discussing the hot topics of today. At the end of the meeting hall, there's a big 21st-century screen.
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With solid support from artificial intelligence, Eindhoven will get down to business on June 27 with this year’s second big city meeting. Residents can share their wishes for the city during this event, using ChatGPT as the conversation facilitator. The goal is to compile a comprehensive wish list for the further development of Eindhoven. An earlier consultation yielded many valuable insights, including ideas to address housing shortages and reduce light pollution.

Brainwaves

The first AI-supported city consultation took place in February, with 50 participants who spent a combined 20 hours discussing the city’s future. This new approach, called Brainwaves, generated mostly positive responses despite the inevitable technical start-up problems. AI provided both the scheduling of the talks and the processing of the outcomes. The consultation works as a video call for three people at a time, with ChatGPT acting as the conversation facilitator and participants having the opportunity to refine and customize their requirements.

The power of AI became apparent to all in the inclusive dialogues between citizens and decision-makers. More than 250 wishes were noted during the first consultation, ranging from addressing housing distress to reducing light pollution. This wish list forms the basis for further city planning and shows how AI can contribute to better community communication and planning.

Democracy in times of artificial intelligence, AI-generated image
Eindhoven pioneers with AI-driven city consultation
With “Brainwaves“, Eindhoven has seen the first city meeting supported by artificial intelligence (AI). With over 50 participants engaged in 60 different conversations.

Health and happiness

Eindhoven City Lab, in collaboration with partners such as Eindhoven Library, Dynamo Youth Work, and Erasmus University, is investigating how design, technology, and communication can contribute to ‘health and happiness’ in the city. The goal is to use AI to help people talk to each other better and understand residents’ needs. The initiative, run by start-up Dembrane, gained momentum last year thanks to a $100,000 grant from OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT.

During the second town meeting, on June 27 (sign up here), residents will have another chance to share their wishes and ideas. The goal is to create an automated report to complete the wish list. This initiative is not only a new step for Eindhoven but can also serve as an example for other cities. Using AI to improve communication between citizens and decision-makers can lead to more engaged communities and better planning and preparation for change.

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