The AIOTI 2025 Conference, held from September 22nd to 23rd, brought together innovators, policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders to explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI), continuum computing, and virtual twins are reshaping the way we design, manage, and live in urban spaces. This year’s discussions revolved around a central theme: “Cities 5.0”, an ambitious vision for intelligent, sustainable, and people-centric urban environments driven by cutting-edge technologies, data-informed governance, and inclusive design strategies. The conference also explored Collaboration and Standardization, Green Enablement and AI, and Virtual Twins and Verses.
Under the Green Enablement topic, strong emphasis was placed on Green ICT, highlighting the pivotal role of energy-efficient technologies and sustainable ICT practices in lowering carbon footprints and fostering eco-friendly innovation. Sessions underscored how digital infrastructures, when designed with sustainability in mind, can serve as a backbone for resilient and environmentally responsible cities.
COP-PILOT’s Contribution
The program included thematic and project sessions where COP-PILOT had the chance to present its collaborative open platform designed to unify diverse cloud-edge continuum infrastructures with a focus on large-scale digital pilots, sustainability, and smart connectivity solutions. The project demonstrated how its platform supports cross-domain collaboration and advanced digital infrastructure management for a connected and sustainable future. Along with CEI-Sphere, which co-organized the Open-Source Community Day during AIOTI Days, Ioanna Drigkopoulou, the COP-PILOT Coordinator, took part in the featured panels and demos on open-source impact across various domains, discussing their collaboration and joint synergies.
A key example of COP-PILOT’s contribution to Cities 5.0 is Cluster 2 (Smart Buildings / Smart City, Valencia). As the European Green Capital 2024, Valencia serves as a real-life testbed for IoT-powered sustainability solutions. Use cases span urban data monitoring and mobility, a smart and sustainable campus at Polytechnic University of Valencia, and advanced maritime and terrestrial traffic management in the Port of Valencia.
COP-PILOT’s cluster strategy extends beyond cities, reinforcing AIOTI 2025 themes by embedding Green ICT across sectors. Cluster 1 (Industry, Sweden) integrates real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance, Cluster 3A (AgriTech, Greece) applies IoT and AI for precision farming and sustainable food production, Cluster 3E (Energy, Greece) focuses on renewable integration, grid reliability, and EV charging, while Cluster 4 (AgriTech, IoT sensors recycling, EU-wide) develops cross-sector energy optimization solutions.
Together, the project clusters advance Green Enablement and demonstrate how distributed intelligence and AI-driven decisions can help achieve carbon neutrality, optimized mobility, and resilient city services. This approach positions COP-PILOT as a cornerstone for enabling connected, flexible, and resilient ecosystems that can respond to the growing demands of modern environments.
Looking Ahead
AIOTI 2025 made it clear that the path toward Cities 5.0 depends on collaboration, innovation, and sustainability. By offering a unifying, open, and scalable platform, COP-PILOT is helping lay the foundations for the next generation of digital infrastructure, one that is not only smart and connected but also deeply aligned with human and environmental needs.
