The 6th Brain Gain webinar — Wednesday 28 May 2025, 8:00 to 9:00 PM Ramallah time, on Google Meet.
Session title: AI and the City: Who’s Really in Control?
With the rapid development of technology, our cities are turning “smart”, using new tools like AI and data to solve people’s problems and organise daily life. But the question remains: will our lives really become better, or are there things we need to be cautious about?
About the speaker
Muath Owda is a Palestinian urban engineer with a master’s degree in smart and sustainable cities. He has worked in France as a research engineer in smart city technologies and in Palestine as an urban planner in the public sector, as well as a solutions engineer at Dassault Systèmes. His work focuses on integrating advanced technologies like digital twins and AI into urban planning and governance, to build more resilient, inclusive and sustainable cities.
What the session covered
Muath delivered a rich and insightful talk on the urban ecosystem and the role of urban planning in shaping tomorrow’s cities. He took the audience through the history of cities and explained how modern technologies such as AI and big data are redrawing the landscape of governance and decision-making. He also raised critical questions about smart governance — does it truly enhance civic participation, or does it risk creating new forms of digital bureaucracy? — and examined how different global powers, such as China and the USA, are shaping smart city governance in their own ways, highlighting the geopolitical stakes of urban technology.
Brain Gain is a pioneering initiative launched by Palestine TechnoPark as part of the Palestine Diaspora Technology Network. It aims to bridge local and diaspora tech talent, strengthen technological capabilities in Palestine, and boost innovation through expert-led webinars, knowledge exchange and meaningful global connection.
