An Updated Model of Trust and Trustworthiness for the use of Digital Technologies and Artificial Intelligence in City Making

Although digital technologies that inform city making are seen as tools to enhance democratic processes in the decision-making inherent in placemaking, these technologies are critically dependent on trusted relationships and play a role as trustworthy channels of communication between urban planners, policy makers and communities. This paper examines how the existing use of digital technologies in city making signals trustworthiness in both the design and deployment of such technologies, and considers how the increasing use of artificial intelligence ('AI') will require careful implementation of benevolent transparency processes. The paper presents an updated model of trustworthiness for the use of digital technologies and AI in city making based on Mayer et al's (1995) widely-cited integrative model of trust (the 'ABI model'). It begins with an analysis of the need for greater demonstrations of trustworthiness as digital technologies are equipped with AI. The paper then introduces the ABI model, breaking down the components of trust in interpersonal contexts to focus on the perceived factors of trustworthiness: ability, benevolence and integrity. Ability considers the technical competence of the recipient of trust (the 'trustee'). In the context of city making, this trustee would be the urban planner, policy maker or technology developer, and their ability to design and deploy these digital technologies and AI in city making. Benevolence considers whether or not the trustee holds a positive orientation or intention towards the member of the community who is the intended giver of trust (the 'trustor'). Integrity considers whether or not the trustor and trustee subscribe to a common set of values. This paper argues that the germinal component of trustworthiness lies in signals of benevolence as articulated in transparency practices that demonstrate mutual vulnerability, consensus formation and seamful decision-making processes. These benevolent qualities of transparency practices are mapped onto existing uses of digital technologies in city making to demonstrate how the updated model of trust and trustworthiness can help visualise the signals of trustworthiness as AI is increasingly embedded in these digital technologies.