Chapter 9: Conclusion

CDTs, as digital tools to support decision-making, have been gaining popularity in cities globally. However, critical voices have emerged claiming that digital twin technology is no more than a hype (OASC, 2020). Taking a more nuanced view, Batty (2018) argues that whilst the time of digital twins being a topical idea will pass, perhaps faster than expected, the act of using data and digital models to support city planning and management will endure. Discussing the longevity of the CDT trend may therefore be less relevant than the current debate suggests, given that deepening our knowledge for conceptualising, designing and implementing data-driven, digital decision-support tools for cities is likely to remain a pertinent issue for research and innovation in the foreseeable future.