ABSTRACT
As cities increasingly integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and surveillance technologies into governance, growing tensions have emerged between efficiency-driven urban management and democratic accountability. This chapter critically examines the rise of AI-powered urban technocracy, highlighting its tendency towards eroding citizen participation through reinforcing algorithmic biases. It then explores how AI can be harnessed to strengthen democratic urban governance by emphasising the need to balance technological advancements with transparency, regulation, and public oversight. Barcelona is presented as a case study of a city actively working to strike this balance, demonstrating how AI-driven governance can be reoriented towards citizen empowerment and ethical data management. The chapter concludes by considering the evolving role of cities as global actors in shaping responsible AI governance. In resisting the erosion of democratic principles, cities must assert themselves as leaders in ethical urban AI adoption, influencing governance frameworks both within and beyond their immediate jurisdictions.
