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📅 Today's Story: Will AI empower urban planners, or slowly replace them? Urban planner Tom Sanchez examines the evolving role of AI in planning, comparing the profession’s future to historical precedent in professions like accounting.
TECHNOLOGY
Planners vs. Processors: Will AI Automate Urban Planning? |
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📰 What Happened: While the BLS projects only 3% growth for urban planning through 2034, this may underestimate genAI, which is summarizing zoning codes, drafting memos, and simulating scenarios. As Sanchez notes, secretaries declined as typing was automated, while accountants thrived by adopting modern tech stacks.
🔍 A Closer Look: Urban planning may face a “dual reality.” AI is well-positioned to eliminate most entry-level tasks (like memo writing and data analysis), which were once stepping stones into the profession. At the same time, higher-order strategies (such as setting policy) require a personal touch and human trust.
🧠 Why It Matters: The urban planning profession is changing quickly. Planners, educators, and associations must embed AI literacy into their training and workflows or risk being sidelined by tech-forward competitors. Rather than replacing planners, AI could make their roles more strategic—if the profession embraces the change.
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