American technology company Vantiq has donated AI software worth $500,000 to develop smart cities in Ukraine, the company’s vice president of partnerships David Sprinzen said at the Summit of mayors in kyiv on November 8.

“We can help Ukraine address the challenges it faces now, and then use the same technological architecture to expand its redevelopment efforts once the war is over,” Sprinzen told the Kyiv Independent on the sidelines of the summit.

A smart city uses technology and data to improve the functioning of a city and the quality of life of its residents. Smart city technology can range from early detection of natural disasters like tsunamis or wildfires to alerting when buildings and infrastructure require maintenance.

Vantiq uses AI and generative AI software to quickly analyze and train solutions based on data collected from cameras, satellite images, social media, road monitoring systems and drones: basically anything connected to the Internet.

The company is already active in several cities, including an experimental project in the United States that detects car accidents and automatically calls emergency services.

The Ukrainian project is carried out in partnership with the Ukrainian business development group Economy of Trust (EoT) and the NGO Mayor’s Club.

THE memorandum of understanding presents a smart system for more than 100 industrial parks across Ukraine, impacting the lives of 2.5 million citizens and helping create “hypermodern” cities, Sprinzen said.

Vantiq, which has partnered with tech giants like Nvidia and Hewlett-Packard, wants to encourage other U.S. tech companies to set up operations in Ukraine to support the business community and contribute to its recovery.

The company’s CEO and David’s father, Marty Sprinzen, says Ukrainian leaders can use the software to make decisions to strengthen sustainable development and attract foreign investment.

“This project will streamline data collection, optimize resource allocation and ensure real-time management of economic activities,” he said in a press release.

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While working in a country at war is a new area for the company, Vantiq is active in natural disaster areas, such as Japanwhere its technology can help form the best evacuation route for a city.

In Ukraine, David Sprinzen sees an opportunity for technology undertaken to improve communications with citizens during the war, highlighting issues such as siren fatigue, where citizens no longer respond to endless air raid alerts.

“We need to think about smarter ways to communicate with citizens when an issue arises that requires them to take action. Whether it’s a situation where they actually have to go to the bunker or we see troop movement, that means we have to evacuate,” he said.

Ukraine will need $486 billion for reconstruction and recovery, according to the latest report from the UN, World Bank, European Commission and government. estimate in February. While reconstruction has not yet taken off, the government plans to rebuild damaged cities in a more efficient and environmentally friendly way in order to move away from the Soviet legacy.

Sensor and computer technology has developed rapidly over the past five years, meaning that high-tech infrastructure and corresponding software can be scaled at a much lower cost. This will help Ukrainian cities take the stage of post-war reconstruction to become modern and digital, Sprinzen said.

After the war, technology can help officials better understand how the city works and what work needs to be done, Sprinzen said. For example, he can monitor the city infrastructuresuch as pipelines and water utilities, to detect damage and operate more efficiently.

Every city is different, Sprinzen notes, but Vantiq can arrange a custom analysis using past protocols and policies to provide specific solutions that will save time and reduce resources.

The project will also strengthen transparency because the more data people have access to, the more they can see what’s happening with their own eyes without having to rely solely on someone’s word. This will help to introduce more foreign investors who hesitated because of corruption concerns, says Sprinzen.

“If you are a foreign investor building a factory in Ukraine, you do not have to send people to see the factory being developed. You can actually use technology to see the real-time status of what’s in development,” he explained.

“Trust with communities interested in developing projects using AI really becomes the key to the strategy that companies will start considering Ukraine,” he added.

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