AI and advanced computing initiatives target urban climate and research challenges

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, in partnership with the University of Cambridge and the Urban Transitions Mission, has launched the third edition of the AI x City Climate Action Hackathon. The initiative invites global innovators, including researchers and urban planners, to develop artificial intelligence solutions for urban climate challenges. This year’s priority areas focus on improving transportation, protecting marginalized settlements through hazard mapping, and combating climate-related misinformation.

Separately, Virginia Tech professor Fangzheng Lyu is leading a nearly $500,000 National Science Foundation project titled ‘CITY-AI’. This three-year initiative aims to bridge the gap between advanced cyberinfrastructure and urban research. The project will develop training materials to help geographers, urban planners, and social scientists utilize supercomputers, large-scale datasets, and artificial intelligence to address complex urban questions.