Panel discussion: Citizen insights - AI in the smart city

Joe Gallo

Executive Director, Illinois Smart City Region Association

A lifelong resident of Rolling Meadows, and global traveler. Joe is a former elected official (Alderman & Mayor). A technology enthusiast, business strategist, community activist, and change agent. Continuously relying on life experience, perspective, professional expertise and the people around him to reshape the world around all of us.

Jake Taylor

Design & Technology Manager, The Connective

Jake joined The Connective in 2022, while at the Thunderbird School of Global Management pursuing his Master of Global Management in Design Thinking, where he led several international initiatives around design and innovation. Jake was also a National Science Foundation research fellow in Citizen Centered Smart Cities and Smart Living where he researched and worked in citizen engagement and gamified living.

Prior to attending ASU, Jake specialized in game design and production where he leveraged behavioral design in user engagement, publishing titles for Nintendo and other platforms. Jake’s understanding of consumer behavior and user/citizen experience all how to leverage critical design frameworks that allow for deeper and more engaging implementations and holistic outcomes for residents across Greater Phoenix.

Asong Suh
Managing Director, Customer Solutions, Sand Technologies

Asong has guided the successful development of tech-forward business solutions for nearly two decades. For the past seven years, he has focused on enabling global clients to leverage AI, data science and data engineering to achieve key business outcomes. From his time as an electrical engineer through his tenure at McKinsey, Asong has remained passionate about helping companies find success through AI, digital technologies and advanced analytics.

Luke Antoniou
Senior Editor, SmartCitiesWorld

Luke has been reporting on the implementation of smart technologies that benefit citizens and the public sector since 2017.

He has a particularly keen interest in smart and sustainable mobility and its role in influencing the decisions of urban planners, citizens and governments alike.

As rapid urbanisation continues, he keeps his finger on the pulse of the myriad urban challenges facing local and central governments, making new connections in the public and private sectors and finding new angles from which to cover the latest smart city developments around the world.