Artificial intelligence, urban planning law and housing
Keywords:
Artificial intelligence; urban planning law; housing; good administration; human reservation.Supporting Agencies
Abstract
This article examines the relationship between artificial intelligence, urban planning law and housing in the context of smart cities. Taking the sixtieth anniversary of the Revista de Derecho Urbanístico y Medio Ambiente as its starting point, it analyses how AI may contribute to improving urban planning, building permit procedures, inspection of land and housing uses, public housing services and, more generally, administrative efficiency. The article discusses comparative experiences such as Vienna, as well as applications related to BIM models, digital twins, infringement detection, smart housing and urban data management.
Alongside these opportunities, the article highlights the legal, social and environmental risks of AI: bias, discrimination, opacity, automated errors, impacts on fundamental rights and material costs linked to data centers, energy consumption, water use and land occupation. From this perspective, it argues that AI can be a useful tool to give effect to the right to good administration, but its use must be subject to strict legal limits.
In particular, the article defends the need for a “human reservation” in administrative decisions involving discretion, the weighing of personal circumstances, legal assessment or significant effects on rights. AI may assist public authorities and improve the quality of administrative decisions, but it should not replace human decision-making where empathy, equity, reason-giving, the right to be heard and the diligent consideration of all relevant factors are essential.
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References
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