THE SHOW

A planner with no IT background built an AI assistant that writes his reports to the council. No code. Less than a day. Ryan Smith from the City of Kelowna, BC (Canada), tells us how he did it, why humans stay firmly in the loop, and how it gave an under-resourced team 30 to 40 per cent of its time back. His message to everyone else: literally anyone can do this. This is Episode 4 of the AI in Planning series on Digital in Place.

Stop telling planners AI is coming. Start talking about capabilities. Town planner and PlanLift AI founder Luke Ferguson cuts through the noise: why grounding AI in real planning data changes everything, why you shouldn't limit your team to one tool, and why AI is an opportunity, not a threat. This is Episode 3 of the AI in Planning series on Digital in Place.

Is AI coming for planning jobs? Professor Tom Sanchez has a calmer answer: get ready. We unpack why it's readiness over hype, tools last, not tools first, and why a well-informed no can be exactly the right call. Plus, why AI now touches every planning role, not just the tech specialist. This is Episode 1 of the AI in Planning series on Digital in Place.

AI won't steal your job. A planner who knows more about AI than you might. Christine Coste, chair of PlanTech NZ, on the gap between getting started and using AI well- when you can drop things in a chat window and when you can't- and why AI is really about making sense of 24/7 data. Episode 2 of the AI in Planning series on Digital in Place.

Adam introduces the new 'AI in Planning' Series — honest conversations with global planners about how AI is reshaping the profession.

Data centres are landing on planners' desks like never before, and most planning schemes were never designed to handle them. In this episode of Digital in Place, Adam Beck from NEON.URBAN breaks down the essentials: what data centres are, the four key types (including the emerging AI factory), and why Australia's national capacity could surge from 1.4GW today to 7.4GW by 2035. With massive demands on energy and water, and at times no clear rules to assess them, the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) is calling for a strategic shift — identifying suitable locations ahead of demand, establishing clear definitions, and putting good planning at the front of the process. If data centres are on your radar, this is your quick 101.

The Productivity Commission has released its interim report on housing supply regulation, and the findings are clear: relaxing land use controls and investing in strategic planning will do more than faster approvals ever could. Adam unpacks the report's key directions and makes the case for three specific planning technology applications (including AI) that can help close Australia's housing gap — from spatial digital twins and generative AI compliance tools to agentic AI that monitors whether infrastructure keeps pace with rezoning.

In this episode of Digital in Place, Adam Beck breaks down the new South East Queensland (SEQ) Digital Plan, exploring how this 10-year roadmap will use digital technology and AI to transform the region's infrastructure, housing, and urban planning ahead of the 2032 Olympics. Watch to discover the four biggest takeaways for urban planners and learn how shared data and digital infrastructure are reshaping the future of local government. More information about the plan can be found here: https://seqmayors.qld.gov.au/2026/04/11/south-east-queensland-launches-regions-first-digital-plan/

Australia’s new National AI Plan signals a major shift for many, possibly even the planning profession. Is it time for planners to step up and shape how AI transforms our cities?