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Workshop Summary

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are poised to have profound practical and ethical implications for the process of decision-making in democratic societies. As planners, we recognize the potential, challenges, and numerous questions these technologies present across public, private, and community settings. Our professional obligation to work in the public interest compels us to actively engage with and understand the implications of recent AI advancements for our practice.

In a recent research paper for IAP2 Canada, we explored the potential and ethics of AI encounters in public participation, one key aspect of a planner’s work. As AI technologies continue their rapid pace of development, this workshop will bring our research to practitioners and create a space for a collective conversation about AI’s impact on public participation and other elements of planning practice. This dialogue will enable all participants to share wisdom, experiences, ethical quandaries, and other big questions about AI in our field. Working with planners in attendance, and building on our ongoing research, we hope to use this session to lay the groundwork for building a new AI in professional planning community of practice.

Preliminary Agenda

- Welcome and introductions

- Research presentation, recent developments in AI technology, Q+A

- Sharing your AI encounters

- Exploring AI ethical dilemmas together

- What do we need? How can we lead? A collective dialogue building toward an AI in professional planning community of practice.

About the Presenters

Morgan Boyco MCIP RPP is a PhD Candidate in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo. Morgan’s research focuses on public participation, contemporary planning and democracy theory, and the use of the latest digital civic engagement technologies to support local public participation processes. Morgan is also a professional planner and community engagement practitioner at Dillon Consulting working with municipalities across Canada to more effectively involve their community members in local decision-making processes.

Dr. Pamela Robinson MCIP RPP is a professor at the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) and is Academic Director at City Building TMU. Throughout her career as a planner her research and practice have focused on complex, emergent challenges that Canadian communities face. Her current research asks: who is planning the Canadian smart city? In 2020

Pamela received the inaugural Canadian Institute of Planners President’s Award: Academic. She is an Advisor on the Toronto Public Library’s Innovation Council and serves on the Board of Directors for the Metcalf Foundation. Pamela writes for Spacing Magazine and recently published a co-edited book The Future of Open Data (2022).

Key learning objectives of the workshop:

1. The workshop will be a collective and grounded exploration of one of the most significant technological innovations of our time, examining the current trends, challenges, and best practices related to AI use in planning. The session presentation and discussions will provide participants with a better understanding of AI’s potential and risks as a tool in planning practice.

2. Together, participants will explore how AI tools impact various dimensions of our practice including: development control, long-range and comprehensive planning, urban design, public participation, research, policy development, communications, planning education, and the arc of professional development in a planner’s career.

3. Making connections by laying the groundwork for an AI in professional planning community of practice and research network.

This event qualifies for 3.0 CPL units

Morning refreshments will be served

Time: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm