Escobar municipality wins Seoul Smart City Prize for digital projects

Organizers recognized the Argentine municipality in the Leadership category. Its projects include a WhatsApp assistant and an AI-supported procurement platform.

Escobar, a municipality in Argentina’s Buenos Aires province, received a 2026 Seoul Smart City Prize. WeGO and the Seoul Metropolitan Government held the ceremony on October 6 during Smart Life Week. La Nación reported that Mayor Ariel Sujarchuk received the award in the Leadership category.

WeGO’s announcement lists Escobar among the recognized initiatives and refers to the city’s digital solutions. The municipality presented Flora, a generative AI assistant that operates through WhatsApp, and Ethix, a public procurement platform that uses artificial intelligence tools.

According to figures provided by the municipality, Flora has handled more than 500,000 resident interactions, while over 100 municipal services have been digitized. More than 28,500 people took part in digital-literacy programs focused on AI and new technologies. Those figures were reported by the city itself.

The municipality also said it was among Argentina’s first to adopt a specific ordinance governing the use of AI in public administration. WeGO said the 2026 prize received 210 submissions and recognized 21 winners across several categories. La Nación reported that the Seoul Metropolitan Government and WeGO covered the mayor’s travel and accommodation.