Escobar Mayor Ariel Sujarchuk wins Seoul Smart City Prize

Ariel Sujarchuk, the mayor of Escobar, Argentina, has been awarded the Seoul Smart City Prize 2026 in the Leadership category. The award was presented during the Smart Life Week summit at the COEX Convention Center in South Korea, organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO).

The international jury recognized Escobar for its transition toward an “AI-cracy” governance model. Key technological implementations include Flora, a generative AI assistant accessible via WhatsApp that has recorded over 500,000 interactions, and Ethix, an AI-driven platform for public procurement designed to increase transparency and speed in municipal spending.

Other factors contributing to the award include the enactment of Argentina’s first municipal ordinance regulating artificial intelligence, the digitalization of over 100 administrative procedures, and the training of more than 28,500 people through the CiudadanIA Inteligente 5.0 program. Sujarchuk won the category ahead of leaders from Mexico City, Greece, and Indonesia.