Digital Technologies for Sustainability: Analyzing How AI and IoTImprove Energy Efficiency in Smart Cities

Abstract

This study examined how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) contribute to
energy efficiency within smart cities. The purpose was to determine the extent to which AI-enabled
analytics and IoT-based sensing systems reduce energy waste, strengthen environmental
sustainability, and enhance smart-city energy management practices. A descriptive survey design was
adopted, and the study was conducted in MetroGreen City, a rapidly developing smart urban center.
The population comprised 1,280 energy-sector workers, from which 310 respondents were selected
through stratified random sampling. A structured instrument titled Digital Sustainability and Energy
Efficiency Questionnaire (DSEEQ) was administered; 310 copies were distributed, and 297 were
returned and found usable. Descriptive statistics answered the research questions, while chi-square
tested the hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that AI improves energyefficiency optimization through predictive analytics, automated load balancing, and fault detection.
IoT devices significantly enhance real-time monitoring, consumption transparency, and automatic
responses to energy variations. Combined AI-IoT integration provides the strongest sustainability
outcome, improving demand-side management and reducing overall energy losses. The study
concluded that digital technologies remain indispensable for smart-city energy transformation.
Recommendations were made to city administrators, energy agencies, and policymakers to expand
investments in AI-driven energy systems, implement city-wide IoT sensor networks, and strengthen
digital-skills capacity among urban energy personnel. The study contributes to sustainability
discourse by offering empirical evidence on how emerging technologies transform urban energy
systems.