Did you attend Urban Future. last week? Here, the innovators and thought-leaders connected together in order to discuss how to make the cities more sustainable. 🌿

The executive Director at Erasmus Centre for Data Analytics, Marcel Van Oosterhout, and researcher at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Haydee Sheombar, participated in the workshop “Deep Dive – Developing the Citiverse.” Alongside Roland van der Heijden from Gemeente Rotterdam en Martijn van Schaik from BROKEN EGG, they discussed use cases of the Citiverse and some of the challenges and dilemma’s such as the ethical and moral implications. 🌐

The Citiverse is a network of interconnected and distributed hybrid and virtual worlds, synchronized with their physical counterparts. It offers new virtual goods, services, and capabilities to city and community actors, represented as digital avatars.

💡 Following the presentations on the Citiverse and its various opportunities and challenges, a dynamic discussion ensued during the workshop. Here are some key takeaways:

– Inclusion in technology: How can we ensure that everyone, regardless of their current tech skills or knowledge, can benefit from advancements?
– Unified world: We should see the digital and physical realms as one integrated world, applying the same ethical standards to both.
– Learning from the past: We’re at a critical juncture to correct past mistakes where technology was implemented without adequate regulation. Legislation should be more proactive and agile.
– Future-ready skills: Instead of opposing technology, we need to address its challenges and prepare future generations with the skills necessary to thrive in a tech-centric world.
– Privacy and responsibility: Privacy is crucial. Anonymity can be beneficial in certain contexts, but we must also ensure accountability for harmful behaviors, just as in the physical world.

💬 Were you part of this insightful conversation? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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