Emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence (GAI), augmented reality, and future advancements like quantum
computing hold potential benefits for municipalities by reducing costs and maintaining control. However, these interconnected
smart technologies can also profoundly affect a city's culture, ecology, and society. The influence of Big Tech often shapes
anticipatory scenarios of smart cities, imposing their assumptions on what is considered the 'most probable' future’ (Inayatullah,
2008; McIntyre, 2018; Miller et al., 2018). This raises ethical questions about the understanding and involvement of residents
in these technological applications (Copeland, 2023; Glăveanu, 2023; B. F. W. Wernaart, 2021).
The Moral Smart City project seeks to create a framework for continuous citizen engagement in decision-making regarding emerging technologies through the Moral Data City Hunt (MDCH) method (Veen, van & Wernaart, 2022; B. Wernaart & Arets, 2024). This approach promotes ethical exploration and consideration of the long-term implications of these technologies by actively involving citizens. Developed by the Moral Design Strategy research group, the MDCH combines empirical ethics, linguistic analysis, and comparative social science. Central to this method is the concept of design fiction (Candy & Dunagan, 2017), utilized within a 'mobile moral lab' that showcases future technology applications and highlights moral dilemmas, guided by an AI value dictionary (Ponizovskiy et al., 2020).
By merging anticipatory governance (Guston, 2014) with the MDCH approach, municipalities can enhance inclusivity and reflection in their decision-making processes. This presentation outlines the application of the MDCH method through the mobile moral lab in the context of anticipatory governance, emphasizing participatory engagement. A pilot project is slated for launch in five Dutch municipalities in May 2025, aiming to map the ethical preferences and values of different resident groups, thereby contributing to a more informed and dynamic techno-moral framework for urban development.
The Moral Smart City project seeks to create a framework for continuous citizen engagement in decision-making regarding emerging technologies through the Moral Data City Hunt (MDCH) method (Veen, van & Wernaart, 2022; B. Wernaart & Arets, 2024). This approach promotes ethical exploration and consideration of the long-term implications of these technologies by actively involving citizens. Developed by the Moral Design Strategy research group, the MDCH combines empirical ethics, linguistic analysis, and comparative social science. Central to this method is the concept of design fiction (Candy & Dunagan, 2017), utilized within a 'mobile moral lab' that showcases future technology applications and highlights moral dilemmas, guided by an AI value dictionary (Ponizovskiy et al., 2020).
By merging anticipatory governance (Guston, 2014) with the MDCH approach, municipalities can enhance inclusivity and reflection in their decision-making processes. This presentation outlines the application of the MDCH method through the mobile moral lab in the context of anticipatory governance, emphasizing participatory engagement. A pilot project is slated for launch in five Dutch municipalities in May 2025, aiming to map the ethical preferences and values of different resident groups, thereby contributing to a more informed and dynamic techno-moral framework for urban development.