The aim of the article is to present and analyze the implementation of intelligent lighting within the concept of smart energies and smart cities. Motivation and research hypothesis: Electricity consumption in the world is based largely on non-renewable energy. Until these full changes, it is necessary to look for opportunities to save and use it efficiently. Today’s cities are increasingly implementing the smart concept, of which smart energy is one area. One of the smart city elements implemented by cities is smart energy. Within this framework, a supported concept is the replacement of traditional lighting with LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes), which contributes to energy and cost savings and reduces the pollution of the sky with artificial light, while increasing the efficiency of urban lighting. Positive effects of modern solutions include reduced lighting expenses and increased safety of residents. Methods and results of the research: The authors chose the case study method for their research. The authors present forecasts for the development, not only from the point of view of the number of lamps but also the cost efficiency pointing out the importance of this element in the context of building smart cities. These are specific benchmarks for cities that have not yet implemented this concept. Conclusions and interdisciplinary implications: solutions are desirable directions for the development of the smart city concept, bringing benefits and reducing external costs. Considerations show a quantitative development forecast and an indication of the possibility of achieving trade-offs and cost reductions. It translates into meeting the requirements of sustainable development providing tangible benefits. The analysis of the case studies is intended to show the effects that can be achieved and the wide range of applications (indicating that modern lamps are not just lighting, but a platform for urban services). The analyses presented are intended to serve as benchmarks showing the possibilities of reducing costs and increasing the quality of life of residents in modern cities. The indicated examples and analyses are of economic importance, they show managers, but also inhabitants, in which direction they should lead the smart city concept, which will allow saving costs, but also to increase the quality of life of inhabitants.

Today’s cities are facing the challenges of increasing traffic congestion, emissions, and the need to improve road safety. The solution to these problems is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) in intelligent traffic management. The purpose of the article is to analyze and evaluate AI- and IoT-based solutions implemented in Polish cities and to identify innovative proposals that can improve traffic management. The study uses a mixed-method approach, including the analysis of crowdsourced mobility data (from GPS, smartphones, and municipal reports), GIS tools for mapping congestion, big data analytics, and machine learning algorithms, to evaluate trends and predict traffic scenarios. The evaluation focused on seven major Polish cities—Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw, Gdansk, Poznan, Katowice, and Lodz—where intelligent transportation systems such as dynamic traffic lights, intelligent pedestrian crossings, accident prediction systems, and parking space management have been implemented. The effectiveness of these solutions was assessed using the following six key indicators: waiting time at intersections, travel time, congestion level, CO₂ emissions, energy consumption, and number of traffic incidents. The article provides a comprehensive analysis of these solutions’ impacts on traffic flow, emissions, energy efficiency, and road safety. A key contribution of the paper is the presentation of new proposals for improvements, such as the inclusion of behavioral data in traffic modeling, integration with GPS navigation, and dynamic emergency and public transport priority management. The article also discusses further digitization and interoperability needs. The findings show that the implementation of intelligent transportation systems not only improves urban mobility and safety but also enhances environmental sustainability and residents’ quality of life.