Digi.City's Collier: Better data use can make our cities smarterDigi.City's Collier: Better data use can make our cities smarter

Digi.City's Chelsea Collier points out how improving data collection processes can make cities more livable and address spatial and digital inequality.

At a Glance

  • North Texas Innovation Alliance's approach to addressing digital equity. (08:56)
  • Cities taking a comprehensive approach to data governance. (12:49)
  • How AI and smart sensors are being used to improve city infrastructure. (16:19)

Data collection and analytics are important tools for making connected cities more efficient and better places to live for residents. Smart cities expert Chelsea Collier explained on the Light Reading podcast that very few cities take a comprehensive approach to this critical task.

Collier is the founder of Digi.City, a non-profit that began as a mission-driven media company. She's been instrumental in showcasing the best examples of how city leaders use connectivity and data collection to make their cities more livable. Digi.City's efforts in this direction, as a consultancy and research hub, inspire and inform an audience of city leaders, telcos, tech firms and academics about the hidden potential of smart city initiatives.

Collier not only identifies where cities are excelling in utilizing tools such as AI and smart sensors and in mapping inequities but also points out the potential for improvement. She highlights how cities can become more liveable and address spatial and digital inequality by improving how they collect, share and use data.

Click on the caption button for a lightly edited transcript.

About the Authors

Kelsey Ziser

Senior Editor, Light Reading

Kelsey is a senior editor at Light Reading, co-host of the Light Reading podcast, and host of the "What's the story?" podcast.

Her interest in the telecom world started with a PR position at Connect2 Communications, which led to a communications role at the FREEDM Systems Center, a smart grid research lab at N.C. State University. There, she orchestrated their webinar program across college campuses and covered research projects such as the center's smart solid-state transformer.

Kelsey enjoys reading four (or 12) books at once, watching movies about space travel, crafting and (hoarding) houseplants.

Kelsey is based in Raleigh, N.C.

Phil Harvey

Editor-in-Chief, Light Reading

Phil Harvey has been a Light Reading writer and editor for more than 18 years combined. He began his second tour as the site's chief editor in April 2020.

His interest in speed and scale means he often covers optical networking and the foundational technologies powering the modern Internet.

Harvey covered networking, Internet infrastructure and dot-com mania in the late 90s for Silicon Valley magazines like UPSIDE and Red Herring before joining Light Reading (for the first time) in late 2000.

After moving to the Republic of Texas, Harvey spent eight years as a contributing tech writer for D CEO magazine, producing columns about tech advances in everything from supercomputing to cellphone recycling.

Harvey is an avid photographer and camera collector – if you accept that compulsive shopping and "collecting" are the same.

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