Exploring the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Stakeholders’ Engagement for Sustainable Urban Development of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Abstract

Urban planning aims to promote fairness, livability, sustainability, and resilience by addressing social concerns and finding solutions to community problems as cities evolve. This means that decisions regarding planning must consider social objectives, governmental directives, and other constraints. These decisions should be debated with community stakeholders and undergo multiple iteration processes. This is crucial because urban issues such as poor housing and environmental degradation are complex and often require adaptive and responsive knowledge from various sources to address them. Since planning is an ongoing activity, the stakeholder engagement process in Ibadan must also be continuous to achieve sustainability goals. Therefore, this study explored how artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance and sustain stakeholders’ engagement for sustainable urban development in Ibadan. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted, initially stratifying participants into a cross-section of 16 stakeholders. Convenient sampling determined a sample size of 79 respondents across all stakeholder groups. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. From the findings of this study, it was revealed that AI can ensure inclusive engagement of stakeholders in Ibadan by facilitating access to all categories of stakeholders. In addition, a large volume of baseline unstructured data can be collected and analyzed by AI in real time. This can be represented through maps and images, which can be visualised by all the stakeholders. To ensure the appropriate AI use in the city, a meticulous approach to its implementation is important to handle any potential challenges or ethical considerations that may develop. This study recommends a holistic approach to AI implementation by developing an Ibadan City Management Policy Framework (IBCMPF), a key part of which will be an Ibadan City AI Strategy to facilitate Ibadan's sustainable urban development.