Impact of EU Regulations on AI Adoption in Smart City Solutions: A Review of Regulatory Barriers, Technological Challenges, and Societal Benefits
This review investigates the influence of European Union regulations on the adoption of artificial intelligence in smart city solutions, with a structured emphasis on regulatory barriers, technological challenges, and societal benefits. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the legal frameworks in e...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Information |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/16/7/568 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849246598985416704 |
|---|---|
| author | Bo Nørregaard Jørgensen Zheng Grace Ma |
| author_facet | Bo Nørregaard Jørgensen Zheng Grace Ma |
| author_sort | Bo Nørregaard Jørgensen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This review investigates the influence of European Union regulations on the adoption of artificial intelligence in smart city solutions, with a structured emphasis on regulatory barriers, technological challenges, and societal benefits. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the legal frameworks in effect by 2025, including the Artificial Intelligence Act, General Data Protection Regulation, Data Act, and sector-specific directives governing mobility, energy, and surveillance. This study critically assesses how these regulations affect the deployment of AI systems across urban domains such as traffic optimization, public safety, waste management, and energy efficiency. A comparative analysis of regulatory environments in the United States and China reveals differing governance models and their implications for innovation, safety, citizen trust, and international competitiveness. The review concludes that although the European Union’s focus on ethics and accountability establishes a solid basis for trustworthy artificial intelligence, the complexity and associated compliance costs create substantial barriers to adoption. It offers recommendations for policymakers, municipal authorities, and technology developers to align regulatory compliance with effective innovation in the context of urban digital transformation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e76893ad004b4c4f9e063fef0ecf6257 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2078-2489 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Information |
| spelling | doaj-art-e76893ad004b4c4f9e063fef0ecf62572025-08-20T03:58:26ZengMDPI AGInformation2078-24892025-07-0116756810.3390/info16070568Impact of EU Regulations on AI Adoption in Smart City Solutions: A Review of Regulatory Barriers, Technological Challenges, and Societal BenefitsBo Nørregaard Jørgensen0Zheng Grace Ma1SDU Center for Energy Informatics, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, DenmarkSDU Center for Energy Informatics, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, DenmarkThis review investigates the influence of European Union regulations on the adoption of artificial intelligence in smart city solutions, with a structured emphasis on regulatory barriers, technological challenges, and societal benefits. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the legal frameworks in effect by 2025, including the Artificial Intelligence Act, General Data Protection Regulation, Data Act, and sector-specific directives governing mobility, energy, and surveillance. This study critically assesses how these regulations affect the deployment of AI systems across urban domains such as traffic optimization, public safety, waste management, and energy efficiency. A comparative analysis of regulatory environments in the United States and China reveals differing governance models and their implications for innovation, safety, citizen trust, and international competitiveness. The review concludes that although the European Union’s focus on ethics and accountability establishes a solid basis for trustworthy artificial intelligence, the complexity and associated compliance costs create substantial barriers to adoption. It offers recommendations for policymakers, municipal authorities, and technology developers to align regulatory compliance with effective innovation in the context of urban digital transformation.https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/16/7/568smart citiesartificial intelligence regulationregulatory barrierstechnological challengessocietal impacttechnology adoption |
| spellingShingle | Bo Nørregaard Jørgensen Zheng Grace Ma Impact of EU Regulations on AI Adoption in Smart City Solutions: A Review of Regulatory Barriers, Technological Challenges, and Societal Benefits Information smart cities artificial intelligence regulation regulatory barriers technological challenges societal impact technology adoption |
| title | Impact of EU Regulations on AI Adoption in Smart City Solutions: A Review of Regulatory Barriers, Technological Challenges, and Societal Benefits |
| title_full | Impact of EU Regulations on AI Adoption in Smart City Solutions: A Review of Regulatory Barriers, Technological Challenges, and Societal Benefits |
| title_fullStr | Impact of EU Regulations on AI Adoption in Smart City Solutions: A Review of Regulatory Barriers, Technological Challenges, and Societal Benefits |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of EU Regulations on AI Adoption in Smart City Solutions: A Review of Regulatory Barriers, Technological Challenges, and Societal Benefits |
| title_short | Impact of EU Regulations on AI Adoption in Smart City Solutions: A Review of Regulatory Barriers, Technological Challenges, and Societal Benefits |
| title_sort | impact of eu regulations on ai adoption in smart city solutions a review of regulatory barriers technological challenges and societal benefits |
| topic | smart cities artificial intelligence regulation regulatory barriers technological challenges societal impact technology adoption |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/16/7/568 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bonørregaardjørgensen impactofeuregulationsonaiadoptioninsmartcitysolutionsareviewofregulatorybarrierstechnologicalchallengesandsocietalbenefits AT zhenggracema impactofeuregulationsonaiadoptioninsmartcitysolutionsareviewofregulatorybarrierstechnologicalchallengesandsocietalbenefits |