Many people talk about “smart cities.” What does the term mean to you?
For me, the topic is not just about technology, but about making life in a city as smart as possible. Of course, we use digital tools such as artificial intelligence and sensor technology, but these things should not be the main focus. Ultimately, what matters is that citizens notice in their everyday lives that a particular city service is straightforward and works well. Technology is at its best when it is not even noticeable.
How do you go about making the city smarter in concrete terms?
Together with my team, I support startups and companies in implementing new ideas and growing. One focus is on smart city solutions that improve the lives of citizens and make Tallinn more attractive as a location. We also see ourselves as an incubator. New technologies should not only be tried out, but also integrated into everyday life.
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Who is Tallinn working with on this digitalization project?
There is a strong network of universities – the Technical University, Tallinn University, and the Academy of Arts. They contribute technological, social and artistic perspectives. In addition, there are business associations, companies and startups based in places such as the Tehnopol Science Park. Together with the administration and civil society, we form an ecosystem, so to speak: administration, science, business and society are all pulling in the same direction.
How do you involve citizens in concrete
terms?
That is probably our biggest challenge. Many citizens are initially skeptical about our projects. What has proven successful in practice is our participatory budget: Anyone can submit ideas for their district, the best ones are put to a vote, and the winning project is then implemented with city funds. We also try to make our services consistently customer-oriented. We don’t just see citizens as residents, but as customers for whom we develop solutions.
What exactly do you mean by that?
Around 90 percent of all administrative procedures can already be completed digitally in Tallinn. We place a strong emphasis on proactivity in everything we do: If we know from government records that a child is starting school, the family automatically receives a small amount of support. When someone dies, we help the bereaved with funeral costs without the relatives having to fill out any forms. The families only have to provide their account number themselves. This approach saves a tremendous amount of time and stress.
What are the biggest difficulties?
Clearly, data protection and legal requirements. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a good thing in itself. However, it sometimes makes innovation considerably more difficult. As soon as a new camera or sensor appears on the street, discussions immediately arise. People are afraid of being monitored. This causes many projects to stall. In my opinion, we need rules that enable innovation rather than prevent it. Nevertheless, we are flexible compared to other European countries. Programs such as “Accelerate Estonia” have enabled us to use autonomous delivery robots in the city at a very early stage.
Do you sense any resistance among the population?
Resistance is fairly low. Estonians are tech-savvy, and many services are already accessible via smartphone. People who still write letters or send faxes are the absolute exception here. Most Estonians have a high level of digital literacy. The biggest challenge is getting older people on board.
Is Tallinn already fully digitized?
Almost. For a long time, only marriage and divorce were not possible digitally – but now they are possible too. We are at the point where it is no longer about the basics, but about topics such as artificial intelligence or other technologies that make urban services even smarter and more user-friendly.
What specific priorities are you pursuing in the coming years?
We don’t have a classic smart city strategy, but rather a development strategy up to 2035. The goal is to make Tallinn more livable. This includes an open approach to data. All the data we have on energy, transportation and air quality should be accessible to businesses, researchers and citizens. In this way, we want to promote transparency, innovation and sustainability.
Where do you see challenges?
Within the administration itself. Smart city projects can only succeed if all departments work together. However, there are often still silos within administrations: some departments are open to innovation and pilot projects, while others are not. The city of Helsinki has given us some good ideas: It has “innovation agents” in the specialist departments of the city administration who specifically drive change forward. We need something like that too.
Finally, let’s ask about your plans for the future: What is Tallinn’s vision of a smart city?
Actually, we shouldn’t even be talking about “smart cities.” Cities are never “dumb.” They are simply cities – and the goal is to make them livable. For me, smart means service-oriented. If citizens are happy, feel comfortable, and technologies make their lives easier, then we’ve done everything right.