Seoul’s annual flagship showcase for artificial intelligence (AI) and smart city technology drew roughly 87,000 visitors this year, a 45 percent surge from last year that reflects mounting public interest in urban tech, city officials said Tuesday. Smart Life Week 2026 was held from Oct. 6 to 8 at Coex in Gangnam District. The city said the turnout reflected strong public interest in AI and robot technology that could change daily life and the future of cities. This year’s event brought together 110 cities from 52 countries, along with 302 companies and 101 institutions, to share technology and experience in using AI for urban innovation. To help Korean small businesses and startups expand overseas, the event hosted 379 business meetings with foreign cities, buyers and investors. A total of 91 buyers, 46 from Korea and 45 from abroad, reviewed Korean companies’ technology and discussed sales and investment opportunities. These included 40 Present for Your City sessions, which matched the policy needs of overseas cities with Korean firms’ AI, robot and smart city technology, and 3