The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched AI Foundations for Municipalities, a self-paced online course open to municipal staff and public servants worldwide, regardless of their role, technical background or prior knowledge of artificial intelligence (AI).
Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how cities deliver services, engage residents, manage data and make decisions. For local governments, engaging with AI requires understanding where it can add value, what risks it may introduce, and what capabilities and safeguards need to be in place.
The course provides a practical starting point for municipal teams to responsibly navigate these questions and make informed decisions grounded in local needs.
A practical foundation for public servants
Designed for staff across municipal functions – from planning and service delivery to procurement, communications and institutional oversight – the course explores the different roles municipalities play as users, enablers, governors and shapers of AI.
Participants will examine:
- Where AI can support municipal work and where it may introduce risks or unintended consequences.
- What data, governance and organizational conditions are needed for responsible use.
- What responsibilities public institutions carry when using or overseeing AI systems.
Through practical city examples, explanatory content, reflections and interactive exercises, participants will build a shared understanding of AI and its implications for their work.
From regional experience to a global learning resource
The course is a global learning resource developed by UNDP in collaboration with the City of Bratislava and experts in AI, governance and urban transformation. It builds on insights from UNDP’s work with municipalities in Europe and Central Asia through the City Experiment Fund (CEF) and the EU-funded Mayors for Economic Growth (M4EG), where a need emerged to help municipal teams understand AI before pursuing specific tools or investments. Contributions from UNDP’s Local Action Team brought additional perspectives and city examples from around the world, making the learning relevant across different municipal contexts.
Launched on 28 October 2026 during Urban October, the course was introduced through a webinar featuring perspectives from Bratislava, Jakarta, Yerevan and Buenos Aires. City representatives and practitioners shared experiences of AI adoption, discussing practical opportunities, challenges and the capabilities and safeguards municipalities need to engage with AI responsibly. Watch the recording from the launch webinar.
Access the course
AI Foundations for Municipalities is publicly available through UNDP’s Urban Learning Center, a learning platform for municipalities developed by M4EG. The course takes approximately 4–6 hours to complete and can be followed at each participant’s own pace.
The course was developed with support from UNDP’s City Experiment Fund, which helps cities across Europe and Central Asia address complex urban challenges through strategic innovation and experimentation, with funding from the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic; and Mayors for Economic Growth, an EU-funded initiative implemented by UNDP that supports local authorities in advancing inclusive and sustainable economic development.
