Architect Carlo Ratti says AI should inform—not dictate—climate-adaptive city design
In an interview with Nature, architect and MIT Senseable City Lab director Carlo Ratti discusses how climate change is forcing cities to adapt and how technology, including artificial intelligence, can support that redesign. He argues that despite the growing role of data and algorithms, citizens should ultimately decide how their cities are shaped, ahead of his appearance at the World Architecture Festival in Fort Lauderdale.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Ratti's comments reflect a broader debate among urban planners about balancing data-driven efficiency with democratic input as cities face mounting climate pressures. His emphasis on citizen control suggests a pushback against purely tech-led planning models, though how such participatory processes would work in practice remains unclear. The remarks could influence discussions at the upcoming architecture festival about AI's proper role in urban design.
- Carlo Ratti leads MIT's Senseable City Lab and teaches at Politecnico di Milano.
- He argues AI can aid climate adaptation but citizens should retain final decision-making power.
- His views will be discussed at the World Architecture Festival in Fort Lauderdale this month.
Source: nature.com — Adam, 2026-11-03
Published there as: “Cities are changing — and architects must adapt”
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