Presentations in this session:

• Presentation by Veikko Eeva, Co-founder, Lumoin Oy

There is no average citizen. Yet urban planning, infrastructure, and digital services are often designed as if one existed—typically assuming car ownership, static needs, and simplified identities. This talk explores how semantic data models, digital product passports, emerging wallets with trust frameworks, and human-centered AI can act as imagination architectures for more inclusive and meaningful cities—ultimately by emanating agency and hope. Cities are not merely concrete and code emitting entropy. They emerge from lived experiences, stories, materials, and energy, flowing through communities like water. People already interact with digital anchors in everyday life. By imagining richer, context-aware anchors—through self-describing data and citizen-readable tools—we can reimagine participation in planning, maintenance, and shared purpose. These architectures encourage engagement in new ways—offering belonging and livelihoods not only for current residents, but also for those yet to arrive. They support long-term understanding, not just real-time optimization: AI agents can help explain zoning decisions, material flows, or heritage impacts—tailored to each person’s role, needs, and entrepreneurial potential. We invite the MyData community to imagine something beyond the “smart city” narrative. Cities as shared infrastructures—not just opening their systems, but opening their arms. When we design for many hands and many stories, we cultivate belonging, meaning, and resilience. In imagining these architectures, we (re)awaken a sense of wonder—seeing the city and each other as if for the first time. Cities that listen, respond, and evolve—with agency, care, and hope.

• Presentation by Marko Latvanen, chief specialist, Finnish Digital Agency (DVV)