As urbanisation accelerates and cities face growing challenges, 20 United Nations (UN) organisations and a group of leading urban experts have called on governments, mayors, and the private sector to unlock the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital innovation to shape the future of city living.

The message was given during the Third UN Virtual World Day, held on May 11-12, 2026, at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, Switzerland, with the support of UN entities from around the world.

In a statement, yesterday, the UN, through the ITU, noted that with 70 per cent of the world’s population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, said the event focused on opportunities presented by the “AI-enabled citiverse” – a digital ecosystem combining AI, spatial intelligence, digital twins, and immersive technologies to enhance urban planning, decision-making, and quality of life.

Participants, recognising that decisions made in cities today will define the future of urban life, issued a Call to Action for Humanity: Shaping the Future of Cities in the Age of AI and Citiverse.

The Call to Action identifies five strategic priorities: Delivering global commitments locally, building trusted and inclusive AI systems, improving decision-making through data and simulation, enabling responsible economic and social growth, and strengthening international cooperation and standards.

“We are entering a new era: AI systems interacting with the physical world, infrastructure becoming intelligent, and decisions informed by real-time data. This is the foundation of inclusive communities that are more efficient, resilient and responsive to all inhabitants,” participants said in the Call to Action.

The UN partners also released an executive briefing on AI, spatial intelligence and the AI-enabled citiverse, providing practical guidance for ministers, regulators, and city leaders to navigate the next phase of urban digital transformation.

The briefing warned of urgent challenges requiring global coordinated action, including governance, data and interoperability gaps, trust and safety concerns, institutional readiness, digital fragmentation, and the digital, rural and gender divides collectively known as the “triple divide.”

However, both the call to action and the executive briefing emphasise that the benefits of AI and the citiverse must reach all communities, including developing economies and underserved populations.