Infrastructure & City Planning Weekly AI News
January 5 - January 13, 2026This weekly update covers how AI agents are changing cities and construction around the world. AI agents are computer programs that can make decisions and do work on their own, without a person controlling them every step. Cities are planning to use these AI agents to help with permits, emergency response, and other government services. However, this change brings new challenges. Cities need better cybersecurity to protect against hackers, and they need lots of new power and data centers to run these AI systems. In construction, companies are using AI agents to read plans, check for problems, and make schedules faster. Planning experts say cities should focus on making sure AI systems are fair and transparent, so people trust how they work. The big question for 2026 is whether cities can build the power plants and computer centers they need to support all these AI agents. Some communities are pushing back because data centers use lots of electricity and water. Overall, AI agents are becoming a normal part of how cities work, but cities need to plan carefully to make sure everything works safely and fairly.