Hypercity

This book results from the author’s interest in two of the major global challenges of the 21st century: tackling climate change; and wrestling with the implications of artificial intelligence, and its application to modern infrastructures.
One of the key images introduced by the book is that of hypercity, an evolution of the smart city, where artificial intelligence, integrated into urban systems, interacts with social, ethical, economic and environmental dynamics. This book offers an initial reading of these ongoing transformations (encouraged by new technologies in urban activities) and sets out an interpretative framework that integrates the different dimensions of the city of the future.
A holistic vision, in which artificial intelligence is seen neither as the cure for everything, nor as an absolute evil, but as a catalyst that can accelerate the transition towards more sustainable and resilient urban models. It is, nevertheless, vital that we are aware of AI’s possibilities and risks.
The hope is to stimulate scholars, citizens and administrators to engagé in a collective re-examination of the future of our cities and, ultimately, of our civilisation.

Paolo Fusero is a full professor of Urban Planning. Born in Genoa, he began his professional career collaborating with Bruno Gabrielli on the drafting of several urban planning instruments, including the Strategic and Local Plan (SLP) of Piacenza (1992), Pisa (1993), Paternò (1995), and Parma (1996), and the Territorial Plan of Provincial Coordination of Ragusa (1997). Alongside his expertise as a town planner, he also worked as a city manager (1996-1998) in the Public Administration as a senior manager in the technical sector of the municipality of Parma. In 2000 he moved to Pescara, where he has held important academic positions at the “G. d’Annunzio” University. These include Ud’A member of the Technical Organising Committee of the Leonardo da Vinci Telematic University (2004-2009), Ud’A Board member (2006-2011; 2020- 2023), Vice Dean of the Faculty of Architecture (2004-2011), Ud’A Academic Senator (2013-2018), and Head of the Department of Architecture (2014-2017; 2017-2020; 2023-2026).