Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Mike Allen talk Future of Work. Photo: Chris Dilts for Axios
Axios' Mike Allen was in Chicago last week to discuss the Future of Work 💼 and smart cities 🏙 with:
- T.H. Rahm Emanuel, Mayor, Chicago; T.H. G.T. Bynum, Mayor, Tulsa; Mr. Imir Arifi, Head of Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Health Care Service Corporation.
Mike, and over 120 Chicagoans, learned how AI and data can make cities smarter, safer, and more sustainable.
What is a smart city? "There’s a lot of different interpretations of what a smart city is," says Mayor Emanuel. "My view is using data to be more interactive, focused and tailored to the resident than we are today.”
Data has even enabled Chicago to shift from reactive to proactive policing methods.
Why it matters: Since adopting this technique, shootings in the South Side neighborhood of Englewood have decreased 67 percent.
How to become a tech hub: “Chicago has the most diversified economy in the country," says Mayor Emanuel. "No sector drives more than 14% of the economy. Diversity is an asset, not a liability."
1 big thing from Mayor Emanuel: "The biggest thing [...] is inclusion. Making sure that everybody can participate...all communities feel like it is helping them."
Mayor Bynum on innovation in Tulsa: “With increasing creative destruction in industries, Tulsa is a top city for young professionals."
How cities are powerful: "Cities have an opportunity to focus on solving problems," says Mayor Bynum, "and not be dragged down by the partisan warfare on the national level."
How cities can use health care innovation: “Just like we’re applying technology to make health care more affordable, accessible and sustainable," says Arifi, "the city of Chicago could use it to make education more effective to improve test scores."
This is not science fiction. This is here now.— Mr. Imir Arifi, Head of Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Health Care Service Corporation
Thank you to everyone who joined us and to Koch Industries for sponsoring this event.