In collaboration with the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) Digital Twin Cities: Key Insights and Recommendations INSIGHT REPORT AUGUST 2023 Images: Midjourney, Getty Images, Unsplash Contents Foreword 3 Executive summary 4 1 Why shared learning is crucial 6 1.1 Increasingly complex urban development needs 6 1.2 Rapid technological development 6 1.3 Investment uncertainty and risk 7 1.4 Protracted construction processes 7 2 Key insights 8 2.1 The SODPA model 8 2.2 The concept of a digital twin object 9 2.3 Strategy and talent 10 2.4 Operation and business 15 2.5 Data and infrastructure 19 2.6 Platform and technology 22 2.7 Application and scenario 26 3 Recommendations 29 3.1 Strategy and talent 29 3.2 Operation and business 30 3.3 Data and infrastructure 30 3.4 Platform and technology 31 3.5 Application and scenario 31 4 Looking ahead: From digital twin city to Metavercity 32 4.1 A more immersive digital space 33 4.2 A more diverse mode of service delivery 33 4.3 A more vibrant engine of growth 33 Contributors 34 Endnotes 36 Disclaimer This document is published by the World Economic Forum as a contribution to a project, insight area or interaction. The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are a result of a collaborative process facilitated and endorsed by the World Economic Forum but whose results do not necessarily represent the views of the World Economic Forum, nor the entirety of its Members, Partners or other stakeholders. © 2023 World Economic Forum. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system. Digital Twin Cities: Key Insights and Recommendations 2 August 2023 Digital Twin Cities: Key Insights and Recommendations Foreword Xu Zhifa Director, Institute of Planning, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology According to United Nations estimates, nearly 70% of the world’s population will reside in cities by 2050. This represents an increase of roughly 2.5 billion urban residents.1 Cities also generate more than 80% of worldwide GDP, according to the World Bank,2 and this influence is only expected to grow in the years ahead. Effectively managing the growth of cities is critical to delivering on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.3 Since the first cities were formed thousands of years ago, innovations and technological developments have been essential to enabling their growth. Today, advances in data collection, cloud computing, the internet of things (IoT), geographic information systems (GIS), 3D modelling and artificial intelligence (AI) have unleashed new opportunities to reimagine and reshape cities through the use of “digital twins”. To better understand the potential of digital twin technology in cities, the World Economic Forum and China Academy of Information and Communication Technology (CAICT), together with key global stakeholders, launched a three-year initiative at the beginning of 2021 to identify and share global best Yamin Xu Lead, Centre for Urban Transformation, World Economic Forum practices and insights. A global advisory committee was created to evaluate promising applications of digital twin technology in cities and glean insights from these efforts. This publication builds on the 2022 Digital Twin Cities: Framework and Global Practices report,4 highlighting early insights to help optimize the planning, design, development and use of digital twin platforms in cities. Because the integration of digital twin technology into city planning and processes is still at an early stage, many questions remain regarding the financial sustainability and social and economic value associated with these complex, capital-intensive projects. The pioneering efforts showcased in this report offer a glimpse of the potential benefits of digital twin technologies while highlighting the need for further research, monitoring and evaluation. To help shape the development of these technologies and guide cities on how best to leverage these solutions, global collaboration is essential. This report aims to contribute to this multistakeholder dialogue and the shared quest for a more inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable future. Digital Twin Cities: Key Insights and Recommendations 3 Executive summary Di