Smart city projects: domestic and foreign experience

The article discusses the stages of the development of the urban environment from industrial cities to smart cities in the context of the formation of a digital urban environment and the introduction of digital technologies in various areas of urban economy. The purpose of this study is to structure the stages of digitalization of urban space. The analyzed data were scientific studies reflected in the periodical press, as well as the author's results in the study of the digitalization processes of modern cities. The research method is a systematic logical analysis of the various stages of digitalization and the development directions of modern cities. As a result of the study, four stages of urban development are identified, their significant differences are shown in the context of digitalization of the urban environment, their main features are identified in the framework of the formation of a digital society. The paper substantiates that the basis for the development of modern cities is industrial cities, which represent the infrastructure for the development of post-industrial agglomerations. Informatization of society has significantly transformed the urban environment, making it possible to develop informational, and later digital and smart cities. The paper notes that different types of cities require different approaches to management due to their economic, social, infrastructural and other features. The main difference between the post-industrial type of cities is the use of advanced digital technologies for the most efficient organization of economic activity. Based on digital innovations, new tools for socio-economic interactions are being formed, such as digital platforms, social networks, crowdsourcing platforms, etc. Such innovations are actively being introduced into the city management system, involving the population in decision-making processes. It is shown that the stages of digitalization of the urban environment are nested sets, each of which includes other technologies and socio-economic models of interactions. It is concluded that the development based on digital technologies is one of the most effective areas for solving the problems of modern cities.