Bucharest General Mayor Nicusor Dan met on Wednesday with Google representatives for talks regarding the digital transformation of public services in areas such as traffic management, public transport, the district heating system or public safety.
„Today I had an extremely interesting meeting with Google representatives, along with managers from Romania and Central and Eastern Europe, where we discussed the opportunities for turning Bucharest public services digital. Artificial intelligence can prove to be the key to transforming our city into a more efficient and modern place for all citizens,” the mayor wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.
He mentioned that one of the biggest challenges for the capital city is the congested traffic, and Google has already „successfully” tested a technology to respond to this challenge in major cities around the world. Specifically, the AI-powered initiative called Project Green Light analyzes traffic waiting times and adjusts traffic lights in real time to streamline traffic.
„Such a solution could bring rapid and visible improvements in Bucharest. Google has expressed its openness to cooperate towards the optimization of public services in other vital areas as well, such as public transport, the district heating system, public safety, air quality monitoring and improving the interaction between the local government and the citizens. Google representatives emphasized their over 20 years of experience in developing technologies that have revolutionized public services globally, and the success of these projects gives us confidence in the digital future of the capital city,” Nicusor Dan wrote.
The partnership with Google would represent „an essential step” in the city’s modernization, the mayor believes.
„Another important reason why Google wants to expand these technologies in Bucharest is the fact that our city is an important regional hub, with over 400 employees working directly for Google. Bucharest is ready for a major digital transformation, and this partnership with Google is an essential first step in modernizing our city,” Nicusor Dan concludes.
AGERPRES
