Citiverse: AI Sparrow as a Multispecies Participation Agent for Inclusive Urban Futures

Authors

  • Anniina Autero
  • Jasper de Jonge
  • Suvi Varissaari

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62161/sauc.v12.6391

Keywords:

Citiverse, Multispecies Participation, Artificial Intelligence, Urban Planning, Planetary Intelligence, Non-Human Agency, Urban Resilience, Conversational AI

Abstract

As cities increasingly adopt the Citiverse paradigm, there is a growing need to move beyond human-centred urban planning and incorporate multispecies perspectives into participatory decision-making. This chapter explores the potential of a Multispecies Resilience AI Agent, represented by a House Sparrow avatar, to facilitate ecological awareness, inclusive participation, and urban resilience. The AI agent was developed to represent non-human perspectives and encourage residents to consider the needs of biodiversity within urban development processes. Findings are based on participatory workshops conducted in Tampere, Finland (N = 19), where participants engaged in conversations with the Sparrow AI within a digital urban environment. Thematic analysis revealed five key outcomes: ecological perspective-taking, emotional engagement, multispecies empathy, playful participation, and conversational trust. Participants used the AI agent not primarily as a decision-support tool, but as a conversational partner that enabled learning, reflection, and imaginative exploration of alternative urban futures.

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Published

2026-09-05

How to Cite

Autero, A., de Jonge, J., & Varissaari, S. (2026). Citiverse: AI Sparrow as a Multispecies Participation Agent for Inclusive Urban Futures. Street Art & Urban Creativity, 12(5), 401–414. https://doi.org/10.62161/sauc.v12.6391

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 5 (2026)

Section

Research articles

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