Abstract Digitalization has driven infrastructures and cities to become “smarter”; the utilization of physical space and energy resources, data exchange, user management, assets, processes, and how businesses operate have been gradually redesigned in a digital context. The fundamental challenges of a smart city include its conceptual definition, implementation dimensions, and inter-system communications. Approaches to implementing a smart city range from multidisciplinary and collaborative models to the integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in the physical context and the use of big data in more abstract decision-making. This article introduces the concept of “Digital as a Service” (DaaS); a model in which the complete digitalization process can be realized in a cloud environment, independent of the physical infrastructure. DaaS enables greater integration and flexibility by creating a compatible virtual digital infrastructure (VDI). In addition, this article analyzes existing digital systems, transmission networks, servers, and management mechanisms. The future industrial revolution will be based on artificial intelligence; a revolution that will replace many human functions with decision-making based on the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, blockchain, big data, virtual reality, and the convergence of digital and physical infrastructure. The “Digital as a Service” model will act as a key enabler of this transformation by creating a complete link between the interconnection, integration, and virtualization of space, services, and structure (3S).

Keywords: Digital systems Internet of Things smart grids information and communication technology artificial intelligence smart cities