Synthesizing Artificial Intelligence and Related Technologies in Sustainable Urban Operations Through the Lens of the Urban Organism: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT

This study presents a systematic review of artificial intelligence (AI) and related technologies shaping urban processes through the conceptual lens of the “urban organism”—an analytical framework organized around three core functional processes: metabolism, neural modulation, and immunity. In doing so, it addresses the lack of an integrated perspective for systematically elucidating how these technologies collectively influence urban dynamics. The review covers 148 articles and combines scientometric and thematic analyses. It reports on the various technologies and methods applied to urban dynamics and integrates them into an easily understandable framework. The findings indicate that AI and related technologies enhance the observability and modeling of urban functional processes. Evidence for regulation is comparatively uneven, with the reviewed studies suggesting that these technologies increasingly support the transition of urban processes from loosely connected toward more coupled and, in specific domains, more controllable systems. However, the review also identifies that the benefits of these technologies are rarely unconditional, requiring stakeholders to balance trade‐offs among efficiency, equity, and environmental sustainability.