This book explores the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in revolutionizing urban healthcare systems. Its central objective is to illustrate how AI can reshape healthcare infrastructure, moving beyond traditional models of care into dynamic, proactive systems that anticipate and respond to the health needs of urban populations. By using the power of AI, the book envisions a future where cities can diagnose, predict, and manage health conditions on both an individual and collective scale, ensuring that healthcare systems are not only responsive but also resilient and sustainable. The book covers a wide range of subspecialties, including AI-powered diagnostic tools, intelligent resource management, predictive analytics for disease prevention, and personalized healthcare delivery. It also tackles the integration of emerging AI technologies with existing healthcare infrastructures, exploring the challenges and opportunities that arise when these systems work together. Additionally, the book addresses key ethical and governance concerns, such as data privacy, algorithmic fairness, and the societal implications of AI in healthcare, making it not only a technical exploration but a broader reflection on the future of health in urban environments. By providing both theoretical frameworks and practical applications, Vital Cities aims to guide the development of smarter, more equitable, and more sustainable urban healthcare systems powered by AI.

Dr. Dimitrios Sargiotis is a Faculty Dr. and Deputy Director of the PC-Laboratories within the Digital Technology Laboratory for Technical Projects at the School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens. With more than three decades of academic and professional experience, he stands at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Data Governance, and Civil Engineering, pioneering the digital transformation of infrastructures, cities, and societies. He has authored seventeen scholarly books, one hundred thirty-seven book chapters, and over fifty scientific publications, articles, research reports, and other scholarly contributions disseminated through Springer and other prestigious international outlets, establishing himself as one of the leading voices in AI for Smart Cities, Digital Twins, Intelligent Transportation Systems, Green and Sustainable Infrastructure, and Human-Centric AI. His frameworks emphasize ethics, explainability, and governance, aligning technological innovation with public value and societal well-being. Dr. Sargiotis provides leadership in European Commission-funded research projects, serves as a reviewer and program committee member for international journals and conferences, and collaborates with esteemed organizations, including Springer, the Programming Research Group of Paris, and the Union of Computer Engineers and Communications of Greece. Beyond academia, he is an advocate of lifelong learning, physical well-being, and cultural engagement, embodying a vision in which scientific rigor, ethical responsibility, and human creativity converge. His career demonstrates how Artificial Intelligence can act as a catalyst for sustainable development, social justice, and the flourishing of digitally governed societies worldwide.