Five practicing planners offer their advice for diving — cautiously — into using AI in their day-to-day work. See my column at: https://www.planetizen.com/blogs/137643-getting-started-ai-part-2-what-some-planners-are-actually-saying
A few thoughts on the increasing concerns about data centers as part of the AI boom. Read it on Planetizen at: https://www.planetizen.com/blogs/137025-what-data-center-boom-means-planners
Top 20 Schools by Median Citations
A lot of recent conversations about artificial intelligence (AI) in urban planning have focused on language and text-related data. AI can summarize public comments, draft memos, scan reports, and help planners make sense of large amounts of information, typically text. In other words, AI is largely assisting the profession through words. See the Planetizen column at: https://www.planetizen.com/blogs/136842-ai-planners-explained-urban-digital-twins?amp
AI can help planners make sense of lots of community input and hear from those who don’t usually show up. But it shouldn’t replace real conversations. Be upfront about how stakeholders’ input is used and ensure the process remains fair. In short, AI can be super helpful, but only if planners use it thoughtfully. https://www.planetizen.com/blogs/136462-dos-and-donts-using-ai-community-engagement-urban-planners
Political pushback against DEI is igniting right at the moment that AI is rising in urban planning. If we don’t fight it, the results could be catastrophic. See my Planetizen column here.
AI can already draft policy briefs, summarize reports, and even sketch out scenarios, work that once performed by interns and junior planners. So what happens when the “training ground” for future planning professionals disappears? My latest Planetizen column asks whether planners are on the verge of being sidelined by their own tools, or whether we’ll take the lead in strategizing about how AI will reshape our field. https://www.planetizen.com/blogs/136043-will-urban-planners-lose-their-jobs-ai
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New book due out in October. See: https://www.routledge.com/Artificial-Intelligence-for-Urban-Planning/Sanchez/p/book/9781032760469
Proposal Submission Deadline: July 31, 2025
The Handbook of AI and Urban Planning edited by Thomas W. Sanchez (twsanchez@tamu.edu)
Introduction
The Handbook of AI and Urban Planning will provide a comprehensive and practice-oriented guide to the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the field of urban planning. As cities become increasingly complex and data-rich, AI offers a broad range of tools to support analysis, design, decision-making, and community engagement. This edited volume will bring together contributions from scholars, practitioners, and technologists to explore how AI is being applied across a range of planning domains—from land use modeling and mobility systems to participatory planning and governance. While the focus is on practical applications, the book will also address the broader implications of AI, including ethical concerns, institutional readiness, and the evolving role of the planner. By providing real-world examples, emerging technologies, and global perspectives, the volume will provide urban planners, students, and researchers with fundamentals and examples helpful for engaging with AI as a tool for planning. Get the submission guidelines 
Edward Elgar Publishing
