Layers of smartness—using technology and data—are being built into cities to make them safer, more efficient, and sustainable. Developed cities around the world are actively launching smart solutions, while new and emerging cities are integrating intelligent, connected systems from the start. The big cities of today may not be those of tomorrow. The opportunities are immense—across infrastructure, mobility, energy, healthcare, and beyond. Innovative technology applications and their adoption in society offer a turning point. At its core, the smart city is about people and improving the quality of our everyday lives. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed some of the shortcomings of major cities in times of crisis. The talk will cover the following areas: Intro: Current state and challenges of Smart Cities **Disruptive technologies enable building a solid foundation for smart cities – highlights of current and future of IoT, 5G/6G, Analytics (AI/ML/DP) across key markets **Key examples – technology convergence & adoption in new use cases in key verticals such as smart homes, public safety, autonomous driving, healthcare, smart energy, and others. ** Covid-19 accelerates the return to the new norm with greater innovation and end-to-end services Conclusion: Adoption of disruptive technologies and acceleration to a new norm will help transition to smart societies. Key Takeaways – Understanding the mission of smart cities and the current situation of 50 worldwide top smart cities and impact from Coronavirus Covid-19 – Technology Features overview and roadmap of 4G/5G/6G, IoT, and AI – Sample use cases and power of virtualization and network slicing Speaker(s): Fawzi, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/323532