Egypt is taking a leadership role in a new international team working to establish the technical and regulatory foundations for using artificial intelligence in smart and sustainable cities and communities, after Dr. Rami Ahmed Fathy was appointed co-chair of the FG-AI4SSC Focus Group affiliated with the Telecommunication Standardization Sector of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T).
John Seob Lee of the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute in South Korea is participating in leading the team, while the list of vice-chairs includes experts and representatives from the United Nations, China, Tanzania, Algeria, Greece, Brazil, and the Open Smart Sustainable Cities and Communities Initiative, in addition to Italy and India.
From Public Discussion to Applicable Frameworks
The team was established by a decision of Study Group 20 in the Telecommunication Standardization Sector, which is concerned with the Internet of Things, digital twins, and smart and sustainable cities and communities, after the group approved its establishment during its meeting in Geneva in May 2026, pursuant to Recommendation ITU-T A.7.
FG-AI4SSC aims to study how current and future artificial intelligence technologies can be integrated with Internet of Things systems, digital twins, and urban ecosystems, with a focus on security, efficiency, and interoperability. The team brings together experts from the International Telecommunication Union, standards development organizations, governments, cities, industry, academia, and United Nations entities.
Workstreams Cover the Artificial Intelligence Life Cycle
The team’s work is divided among six main groups addressing terminology, taxonomies, and strategies; use cases, reference architecture, and systems integration; data and interoperability; artificial intelligence life-cycle management, assessment, and readiness; as well as the areas of people, sustainability, participation, and communication.
The agenda includes generative artificial intelligence, agentic artificial intelligence (Agentic AI), physical artificial intelligence (Physical AI), and spatial artificial intelligence (Spatial AI), in addition to analyzing standardization gaps and developing future road maps. The team also examines applications related to low-carbon energy, environmental and water monitoring, urban governance, disaster resilience, critical infrastructure, and trade and logistics services.
What Matters in Practice?
The team’s importance lies in its attempt to transform the discussion around urban artificial intelligence into specifications and technical reports that could later support standardization work. However, the International Telecommunication Union clarifies that the outputs of focus groups, including FG-AI4SSC, do not automatically constitute official ITU-T Recommendations; they may become Recommendations in the future if they meet the required tracks and procedures.
The team held its first meeting in Tampere, Finland, on September 10 and 11, 2026, following an international forum on artificial intelligence and the “Citiverse.” Fathy also serves as vice-chair of Study Group 20 and has previously worked on international standardization, smart cities, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and cybersecurity, while also serving as vice-chair of the United Nations’ United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) initiative.
Egyptian participation in leading the team reflects a direct presence at an early stage in shaping frameworks that could later affect how artificial intelligence services are designed and operated within cities. However, the final regulatory impact will depend on what the working groups produce and on whether these outputs can move from pre-standardization reports to international Recommendations eligible for adoption.