Conference Presentation, Panel
Transforming the Urban Landscape
Milken InstitutePeter Marx, Chan Heng Chee, Daniel Doctoroff, Don Katz, Jean Liu, John McCutchan, Nati Barak
- An urban technology revolution driven by digital connectivity, machine learning, AI, and social networks is expected to begin now, fundamentally altering mobility, infrastructure, governance, and social policy over the next 50 years.
- Self-driving vehicles are projected to reshape the public realm by recapturing 30% to 60% of land dedicated to parking and enhancing safety to the extent that children can roam without concern.
- Didi aims to expand its fleet from 200,000 to 1 million electric vehicles within three years, a move expected to save an additional 1 million tons of CO2 annually.
- Singapore plans to increase its land area from 224 to 300 square miles by 2030 through reclamation and vertical construction while transitioning its water supply to 55% "new water" and 30% desalination by 2016.
- Newark Venture Partners intends to close a double-bottom-line fund later in the summer, anticipating $2 billion in construction and a rebranding as an early-stage tech hub if major companies relocate there.
- Sidewalk Labs is positioned as a systems integrator and platform creator to lower costs and improve urban life quality, leveraging a foundation similar to smartphone operating systems for third-party innovation.
- Data science experiments across 15 Chinese cities aim to reduce average congestion times on congested roads from 40 to 30 minutes.
- Singapore seeks to have 7% of its food produced domestically through vertical and hydroponic farming to ensure food security.
- The city of Los Angeles is shifting its water strategy to obtain 40% of its supply from local sources via grey water and retention programs, moving away from direct ocean discharge.
- Peter Marks highlights a conflict where public good requires data sharing, yet private sector entities may hesitate due to litigation risks regarding trip data.
- Don Wright notes that the digital divide may be bridged through private inventions like Wi-Fi hotspots and affordable Chromebooks, while highlighting Newark's leading position in K-12 education.
- John McCutchan observes that neighborhood revitalization through tech often creates five jobs for every engineering job and results in high school graduates earning more than college graduates, though it may increase living costs.
- Professor Chen Heng-Chi warns that data sharing from profit-driven private companies requires persuasion rather than automatic compliance and emphasizes the necessity for all city sectors to develop in tandem.
- Don Wright expects that 12 Audible locations in Newark could generate a "tech cathedral" and redistributable income, while vertical farming company AeroFarms is noted for significant operational efficiency compared to traditional industries.
- Peter Marks envisions the tech industry shifting from a "technology first" to a "people first" approach to ensure positive urban environmental change.
- Future self-driving integration into Didi's network is anticipated to improve safety, contingent on the technology meeting sufficient safety thresholds before full adoption.
- Professor Chen Heng-Chi expects Singapore to address senior computer literacy through peer-led "boot camps" as part of its broader urban system development.
- The remaining water agreement between Singapore and Malaysia is scheduled to end in 2061, following the expiration of one existing agreement.
- John McCutchan projects that as companies mature, a culture of giving will increase, with philanthropy most effective when experimenting in school districts or economic development sectors.