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Former Prague CIO joins Cities Today Institute

10 July 2026/in Jonathan Andrews/by Folkert Leffring

After five years leading innovation in Prague, Petr Suška is taking his experience to cities across Europe in his new role as Director of Innovation (EMEA) and Chair of the City Innovation Network in Europe at the Cities Today Institute (CTI).

Suška, who has also held roles with UNDP, Fraunhofer and Bosch, said the new position provides an opportunity to take the lessons learned in Prague and apply them across Europe by helping city leaders adopt practical approaches to innovation, data and artificial intelligence.

He was drawn to the role because of the Institute’s ability to bring together senior city leaders willing to openly discuss shared challenges and exchange practical experiences.

“As a CIO of the City of Prague, you get invited to a bunch of different things, and you tend to say no to those,” he told Cities Today. “However, the CTI events were the thing for me to always go to.”

For Suška, the value of the CTI events came not only from the programme itself but from the opportunity to learn directly from peers tackling similar issues, from AI adoption to digital transformation.

After five years leading innovation in Prague, he is now taking that experience to cities across Europe.

“I hope to do more practical things and help cities introduce real-world interventions to the way they operate,” he said, adding that his experience includes establishing open-source software sandboxes and agile AI development teams capable of introducing large language models across city government.

For Suška, the role is about moving beyond buzzwords. European cities, he argues, do not need more technology for technology’s sake. They need practical interventions that solve real problems: climate change, housing, mobility, public service delivery and the growing pressure on city administrations to do more with less.

“People ask, ‘Are you using AI with this?’ and the answer should be, you use AI if it brings value,” he said. “If it doesn’t, then maybe there’s a very low-tech intervention that you can take, because at the end of the day you’re trying to make an impact.”

Drawing on his experience in Prague, Suška said successful innovation starts with understanding the needs of residents and “the end users” before considering technology. Cities should also ensure they collect the right data to demonstrate whether projects improve efficiency, accessibility and public services.

“We always asked, how is this going to be used? Who is going to be using it? Is it going to be easy for them to use this, and are we collecting the right type of data?” he said.

As Director of Innovation (EMEA), Suška said he hopes to strengthen the City Innovation Network in Europe by creating more opportunities for cities to learn from one another and build trusted relationships that accelerate innovation.

“I always thought that it wasn’t just a source of inspiration, but it was also a relationship-building experience,” he said. “Having that kind of network of other city practitioners that are passionate about helping cities become more sustainable and liveable is a very empowering thing.”

Dublin unveils strategy for responsible AI adoption

23 June 2026/in Jonathan Andrews/by Folkert Leffring

As Ireland’s capital city prepares to launch its AI strategy, Jonathan Andrews spoke to Jamie Cudden, Executive Manager for Corporate Services & Transformation with Dublin City Council, a founder member of the City Innovation Network

Dublin City Council has established what it describes as Ireland’s first Generative AI Lab dedicated to local government, creating a structured environment where staff can test artificial intelligence tools, develop practical use cases and build organisational capability before wider deployment across council services.

Through a combination of formal oversight groups, mandatory staff training and controlled experimentation, Dublin is seeking to balance innovation with public trust, transparency and compliance as AI becomes increasingly embedded in local government operations.

An AI strategy for Dublin City Council is scheduled for publication in the third quarter of 2026 and will set out the organisation’s vision and principles for deploying and scaling AI.

Jamie Cudden, Executive Manager, Corporate Services & Transformation, Dublin City Council, says the objective is to realise the benefits of AI while ensuring strong governance and accountability.

“We are focusing on human oversight, transparency, privacy, fairness, accountability and security from the outset, rather than treating governance as something added later,” he says.

Building governance before scale

Dublin City Council has introduced a two-tier governance structure to oversee AI adoption across the organisation.

An AI Governance Group provides strategic oversight and decision-making around policy, acceptable use, organisational readiness and priority use cases. Alongside it, an AI Technical Group focuses on implementation matters including infrastructure, tool assessment, permissions, security, cyber risk, technical evaluation and support for pilots and use cases.

The groups bring together representatives from IT, Digital, Legal, Data, HR, Corporate Services and Transformation.

Jamie Cudden, Executive Manager, Corporate Services & Transformation, Dublin City Council

“Coordination happens across business, innovation, information systems, data protection and cybersecurity functions so that AI proposals are considered from multiple perspectives before they move forward,” says Cudden.

The council’s approach is informed by the Irish public service framework for responsible AI and by the requirements and direction of the EU AI Act.

Prioritising use cases

The council evaluates AI proposals according to business value and organisational need. Potential projects are assessed against questions such as whether they solve a genuine service or operational problem, can be implemented safely and align with wider organisational priorities.

Particular focus is being placed on use cases that improve internal productivity, strengthen decision-making, enhance customer service and support better use of data.

“We ask: does this solve a real service or operational problem, can it be implemented safely, and is it aligned with wider organisational priorities?” adds Cudden.

He says proposals are considered through a governance lens rather than a novelty factor.

“This helps ensure that AI activity is linked to broader business and service delivery objectives, rather than being run as standalone experimentation,” he says.

A central part of Dublin’s strategy is the GenAI Lab, launched in February 2025 in partnership with the ADAPT Research Ireland Centre and Trinity Business School. The initiative is described as Ireland’s first Generative AI Lab dedicated to local government.

The lab functions as a sandbox environment where council teams can work with researchers to identify opportunities, test ideas, develop prototypes and build organisational capability.

Rather than allowing unrestricted experimentation, the lab operates within a structured framework where activity is logged, reviewed and supported by governance and technical oversight.

“The emphasis is on learning by doing, but within a framework that protects the organisation, staff and the public,” explains Cudden.

The lab is being used to identify practical opportunities across council services while helping staff develop familiarity with emerging AI capabilities. Researchers and council teams work together to explore where generative AI can add value while ensuring projects remain grounded in governance, ethics, transparency and public trust.

Guardrails and responsible deployment

The council has developed staff guidance on generative AI and introduced governance structures and controlled environments to evaluate potential use cases.

Areas of focus include data protection, information governance, human review of outputs, transparency, security controls and awareness of bias and error in AI-generated content.

The council is also placing emphasis on the use of approved tools with appropriate safeguards rather than consumer-grade platforms.

“Our guardrails are built around the principle of responsible use before scale,” he says.

Workforce development forms a significant part of Dublin’s AI programme.

The council has published AI guidelines for staff and introduced an introductory AI training course which is mandatory for employees. The 80-minute training programme provides foundational knowledge on AI opportunities, risks and responsible use. More than 500 staff have completed the training to date.

Dublin is now preparing a broader programme that will target more than 3,000 staff, alongside more focused training and development packages for specific roles and functions.

“The intention is not just to give people access to tools, but to help staff understand where AI can be useful, where the risks lie, and how to use it responsibly in a public service setting,” Cudden explains.

The GenAI Lab also supports workforce development through workshops, engagement sessions and hands-on experimentation, allowing employees to gain practical experience while exploring potential use cases.

Collaboration and peer learning

Cudden says engagement with other cities, research institutions and professional networks helps the council compare governance approaches, share lessons from pilot projects and benchmark its progress.

“Collaboration plays a very important role in our approach. AI adoption in local government is still evolving, so peer exchange is extremely valuable in helping cities learn from each other, compare governance models, share lessons from pilots and avoid repeating mistakes.”

Dublin has engaged with cities including Sunderland and Madrid and participates in city-to-city initiatives such as the City Innovation Network.

The council also works through research partnerships and smart city networks to test ideas and contribute to wider discussions around responsible AI in urban government.

“Dublin has been active in engaging with other cities and networks on digital innovation, and we see this as essential to developing a practical and credible approach to AI,” he says. “Our involvement in initiatives such as city-to-city exchanges, research partnerships and wider smart city networks helps us test our thinking, benchmark progress and contribute to the wider conversation on responsible urban AI.”

Moving from pilots to enterprise deployment

The council is developing a pathway from pilot projects to operational deployment, including assessment criteria, governance checkpoints, support models and resourcing arrangements.

“At present, the focus has been on putting in place the foundations for responsible experimentation, governance and capability-building,” says Cudden. “The challenge we are facing now is scaling the pilots into enterprise solutions. The proof of concepts are delivering quick and impactful results across multiple use cases. We are scoping out how we support enterprise infrastructure that allows us to scale applications within a safe and secure, sovereign environment to utilise the latest AI models and tools that are GDPR compliant.”

The AI strategy due at the end of 2026 is expected to formalise the council’s vision for AI deployment and scaling.

“We need to be fully open and transparent in this regard so we can build trust with our staff, councillors and the public that we serve.”

Dublin’s AI governance model

Governance structure

AI Governance Group responsible for policy, acceptable use, organisational readiness and prioritisation of use cases
AI Technical Group responsible for infrastructure, tool assessment, security, permissions, cyber risk and pilot support
Representation from IT, Digital, Legal, Data, HR, Corporate Services and Transformation
Governance informed by the Irish public service framework for responsible AI and the EU AI Act.

GenAI Lab

Launched February 2025
Joint initiative between Dublin City Council, ADAPT Research Ireland Centre and Trinity Business School
Described as Ireland’s first Generative AI Lab dedicated to local government
Sandbox environment for research, testing, prototyping and capability building
Supports identification of AI opportunities across council services
Activity logged, reviewed and supported through governance and technical oversight.

AI guardrails

Staff guidance on generative AI introduced in May 2025
Human oversight of AI outputs
Data protection and information governance controls
Transparency requirements around AI use
Security and cyber risk assessment
Consideration of bias and AI-generated errors
Focus on approved enterprise tools rather than consumer-grade platforms.

Workforce development

Mandatory introductory AI training programme
80-minute foundation course
More than 500 staff trained to date
Future programme planned for more than 3,000 employees
Additional role-specific training and development packages under development
Workshops and hands-on learning delivered through the GenAI Lab.

Next steps

AI strategy scheduled for publication in Q3 2026
Development of enterprise AI infrastructure capable of supporting AI applications at scale
Focus on secure and sovereign deployment environments
GDPR-compliant deployment model
Formal pathway being developed from pilot projects to operational deployment.

Main image: Alex Grichenko | Dreamstime.com

Why cities are entering a new phase of innovation maturity

23 April 2026/in Rikesh Shah/by Folkert Leffring

By Rikesh Shah, Chair of City Innovation Network – Europe

Cities have become the world’s most important proving grounds for innovation — and with the wider geopolitical shifts happening at national levels, the role of the city is only growing. Cities are where climate ambition meets infrastructure, where AI meets public trust, and where mobility, housing, waste collection and digital services collide with the realities of everyday life. That’s why convening city leaders in Dublin last month felt so timely.

As Chair of the European chapter of the City Innovation Network, I had the pleasure of moderating over twenty senior city officers responsible for digital services and innovation, alongside executive leaders from both start‑ups and global industry. Across two days of honest, practical discussion, one thing became unmistakably clear: cities are entering a new phase of maturity. Not one defined by experimentation for its own sake — what I often call innovation theatre — but by the foundations, partnerships, scaling pathways and cultural shifts required to deliver real impact.

We spoke about culture, leadership, procurement and citizen‑focused delivery — the things that really matter if we want to leverage value from advances in technology and achieve better public‑policy outcomes.

Dublin was the perfect setting for this conversation. A city with deep history and a modern appetite for transformation, it has embraced innovation with purpose, partnered with industry without losing sight of public value, and built a civic culture where experimentation is grounded in community needs. That spirit shaped every discussion. Quite often, I see lots of papers and guidance on innovation in cities that feel academic but here we saw leaders sharing their vulnerabilities, concerns and nuances at a local level with the key element being that this felt grounded in reality. No gloss, academic theory or hype but a genuine focus on applying innovation to create more value for cities and places.

Beneath the breadth of topics, three deeper currents ran through the conversations as the practical steps cities must get right.

1. The foundation layers that make innovation real

One theme came through strongly: innovation doesn’t begin with technology — it begins with a city vision, evidence-based problems, curiosity, partnerships, systems, leadership and acknowledging legacy-based systems.

Cities consistently highlighted the same foundational needs:

data and interoperable data standards
ethical and secure AI frameworks
openness and transparency
modern procurement models and partnerships
digital infrastructure that cities can actually control
governance structures that enable responsible experimentation

These layers rarely make headlines, but they determine everything else. Without them, cities end up with fragmented systems, duplicated effort and pilots that never scale. With them, cities can move faster, collaborate more effectively and build public trust.

This is the quiet work that underpins transformation — and cities are now treating it as a strategic priority rather than a technical afterthought.

3. The shift from pilots to scaling — and the honesty it requires

For years, cities have been encouraged to pilot new technologies. Pilots have value, but only when they lead to adoption. Through my work at Transport for London and more recently at the Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre, I’ve seen countless proof‑of‑concepts and pilots that unfortunately never progress further.

Jamie Cudden of Dublin City Council shares insights into the city’s digital transformation strategy.

What was refreshing in Dublin was the honesty: many pilots don’t scale not because the technology is flawed, but because the system around it isn’t ready. And this time, both cities and industry were in the room working through this together, sharing examples from across Europe.

Cities are now asking more mature questions:

How do we scale what works, rather than endlessly testing what’s already been proven elsewhere?
How do we build internal capability so cities can own their digital futures?
How do we embed innovation into mainstream operations rather than treat it as a side project?

Another encouraging shift was the willingness to share failures, not just successes — because that is how collective progress accelerates.

One moment stood out: a city describing how it had redesigned its operating model so that service design and outcome‑based requirements were embedded into the organisation itself. That kind of change requires leadership and political will, strong internal relationships and tenacity.

3. Culture and change: the human engine of innovation

Technology alone doesn’t transform cities. People do. And the cultural dimension of innovation — the willingness to collaborate, to challenge legacy processes, to embrace responsible risk — was one of the strongest themes in Dublin.

Cities emphasised the importance of:

building AI literacy across the workforce
empowering frontline staff
building capability
engaging communities as co‑designers
creating environments where experimentation is encouraged but accountability is clear
developing new roles that didn’t exist in traditional government structures

This cultural work is often the hardest part of innovation, but it is also the most decisive. Without it, even the best technologies and frameworks will fail to take hold.

Dublin reminded us that innovation is ultimately a human endeavour — shaped by leadership, trust and the ability to work across boundaries.

A network ready for the next chapter

Group photo of the participants of the City Innovation Network Leadership Forum in Dublin

Cities are increasingly moving away from point‑based solutions and towards creating the conditions for long‑term capability: building the foundation layers, scaling what works and cultivating the cultures that will define the next decade of urban innovation.

These three areas are the focus of the working groups that we have launched to take forward the work from the Dublin forum.

The future will not be shaped by isolated breakthroughs. It will be shaped by networks —of cities, industry innovators, researchers, start‑ups and communities—who understand that collaboration is the only way to solve complex problems at pace.

Dublin showed what that future might look like: open, ambitious and grounded in public purpose. The task now is to turn this momentum into sustained action.

If you are interested in learning more about the City Innovation Network, its programme of activities, or how to become a member, please click here.