Villanova University associate professor Sarah Cooney has created a software system that uses AI and Human-Computer Interaction so the average citizen can urban design their surroundings and make them more sustainable, writes Melisa Cabello for viterbischool.usc.edu.

That could mean trees on every street, roads safe for cyclists, pedestrian-friendly paths, clean air, and helpful neighbors.

Cooney, a Ph.D. candidate with USC Viterbi, says a community becomes more resilient and sustainable when people are safe and feel safe with each other.  That means walkable streets, outdoor dining options, and overall accessibility.

The idea is to take a place that is not like that and use artificial intelligence to project an image of what it could be changed into, a redesign that is more people-friendly.

The program pairs images, before and after, to teach it what makes a good U.S. city. By later inserting a different image, the program should create a realistic output.

“Right now it’s a lot about helping the people imagine how things could be different,” she said. “A lot of it is just, you know, helping people see the possibilities. And then ultimately the goal would be to help people implement those possibilities.”

Read more at viterbischool.usc.edu about Sarah Cooney’s urban planning software system.

This 2019 TED Talk asks what would happen if the poor were a part of urban planning.