Proposing the foundations of scAInce by exploring the future of artificially intelligent, sustainable, and resilient megaprojects

Abstract Artificial intelligence is software based; megaprojects are large physical infrastructures. We use exploratory research in understanding the merger of both by asking what artificially intelligent, sustainable, and resilient megaprojects are and what their underlying theory is. Thus, the goal of the paper is to define an artificially intelligent megaproject and identify its theory. To do so, we conducted a literature review on the two different topics and exemplified current mergers of AI and megaprojects through two cases. We propose a definition for artificially intelligent megaprojects and suggest consequentially an embedded new theory we call scAInce. We suggest that scAInce is a new research field, that explores the influences and impacts of artificial intelligence on our world. We conceptualize how AI megaprojects as virtual AI futures might enable sustainability in our built environment. It ends with contributing a definition of what artificially intelligent megaprojects are. HIGHLIGHTS Defines AI megaprojects as a synergistic and enduring merger of AI software for large-scale infrastructure planning, design, construction, and management Suggests a new research field called scAInce Introduces the theory of scAInce as utopian and dystopian visions of futurists that are starting to emerge in the incremental transition from smart to the intelligent city concept