As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly shifts from software interfaces into physical infrastructure and public administration, global municipal leaders and tech researchers are assembling in Korea to chart the future of urban governance. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday that Smart Life Week 2026 will host 18 international forums and conferences at the Coex convention center in Gangnam District from Oct. 6-8. Expanding on last year’s summit, the three-day gathering will feature over 300 speakers, including delegations from Tokyo, Naples, Manila and Granada, Alongside researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Cambridge. Central to this year’s agenda is the practical deployment of physical AI — embodying AI within quadrupeds, humanoid robotics and autonomous systems that navigate real-world city streets. On Oct. 7, the Mayors Forum will bring city leaders together for AI, Opening the City’s Next Chapter, framed by a keynote address from Vilas Dhar, president of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, on building public trust through