Beyond Sensing: AI-Driven Planning Paradigm Shifts for Sustainable Development

Abstract

Urban complexity represents one of the most significant challenges for sustainable development in the AI era. Traditional planning methods often struggle to navigate their dynamic and complex nature. Drawing upon the "Urban Iceberg" theoretical framework, we launch the special issue “Integrating AI into Sustainable Urban Development: Planning Approaches and Strategies.” The studies published in this issue provide robust evidence that AI has matured into a powerful tool for decoding the visible physical city environment through high-precision sensing and pattern optimization. However, building truly sustainable cities necessitates penetrating the submerged social environment—the domain of conflicting values, institutional logic, and human needs. This demands a structural transition from observing physical phenomena to decoding underlying socio-economic mechanisms. We advocate for the advancement of cognitive AI to simulate stakeholder negotiation and facilitate human-AI co-creation. This special issue serves not only as a repository of technical advances but as a roadmap for bridging the divide between physical intelligence and social rationality. Only by integrating these dimensions can we transform AI from a tool of measurement into an instrument of humane and sustainable development.