While I started my previous blog post with the observation that KACST was not a “city,” Caroline Spicer, Strategy and Market Development Leader for IBM Global Business Services, made the point later in the day that there is not “a city” but many models of cities depending on future vision. There are a couple of points to draw out here. There is not one model of a smart city.  Cities can focus on particular initiatives based on their leaders’ (and their constituents’) priorities and vision for the future of the city. As Caroline pointed out these might be:

• The well-planned city – focused on urban design and development
• The healthy and safe city – focused on health
• The sustainable eco-city – focused on the environment
• The city of innovation – focused on science and technology, the knowledge base
• The city of commerce – focused on trade and retail
• The cultural or convention hub – focused on tourism