An AI and IoT Framework for Dynamic Optimization and Sustainability in Smart Cities

Authors

• Zeinab E. Ahmed, Dept. of Computer Engineering, University of Gezira, Wad-Madani, Sudan
• Rashid A. Saeed, College of Commerce and Business, Lusail University, Lusail, QatarFollow
• Salah Hagahmoodi, Department of Information Technology, College of Science, Al-Esraa University, Bagdad, Iraq
• Mamoon M. Saeed, Dept. of Communications and Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Modern Sciences (UMS), Yemen
• Khalid Hamid, Department Communication Systems Engineering, University of Science & Technology, Omdurman, Sudan
• Sally D. Abugasim, Dept. of Computer Engineering, University of Gezira, Wad-Madani, Sudan
• Eyman F. A. Elsmany, Dept. of Computer Engineering, University of Gezira, Wad-Madani, Sudan

Article Type

Review

Abstract

Smart cities are emerging as a critical solution for creating more efficient, sustainable, and comfortable urban environments. This transformation is primarily driven by the synergistic integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The IoT provides a pervasive network of connected sensors that collect real-time urban data, while AI serves as the analytical engine that processes this information to optimize city-wide systems. This paper presents a comprehensive framework that leverages this AI-IoT convergence for dynamic optimization to achieve long-term urban sustainability. The framework focuses on enabling intelligent, data-driven decision-making across core urban domains. The discussion and analysis reveal that the integration of AI and IoT is revolutionizing smart cities by fostering decentralized, intelligent systems. This synthesis of real-time data, advanced analytics, and distributed computing generates significant gains in efficiency, sustainability, and security, evidenced by reduced latency, lower energy consumption, and enhanced threat detection. However, the implementation of such frameworks faces persistent challenges, including issues of scalability, cybersecurity, data standardization, and equitable access. The paper concludes that proactively addressing these technical and socio-technical barriers is essential for building resilient, inclusive, and truly sustainable urban ecosystems for the future.

Keywords

Smart city, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Optimization, Sustainability

Recommended Citation

Ahmed, Zeinab E.; Saeed, Rashid A.; Hagahmoodi, Salah; Saeed, Mamoon M.; Hamid, Khalid; Abugasim, Sally D.; and Elsmany, Eyman F. A. (2026) "An AI and IoT Framework for Dynamic Optimization and Sustainability in Smart Cities," Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences: Vol. 8: Iss. 13, Article 16.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70080/2790-7732.1103