The map used to tell us where to go. The directory told us who to see. Now, AI can introduce us and in real time, in any language, and before we even arrive.

Yesterday’s maps, today’s opportunity

For decades, cities and towns have tried to help visitors navigate with static tools: downtown directories, folded maps, local apps, or website lists. They were useful but also instantly outdated. The reality is that discovery shouldn’t begin on a kiosk; it should begin the moment curiosity sparks.

Today, people can explore an entire city before they’ve even booked a flight. But most towns still rely on websites that feel like digital brochures. The experience is transactional, not connective. You learn where to go, not who’s there or why it matters.

The premise of the new digital town square:

It’s not about displaying information. It’s about starting conversations between residents, visitors, businesses, and the culture that ties them together.

Walking into a town square before arrival

Imagine arriving digitally in a place like Erie, PA, Asheville, NC, or Duluth, MN before setting a foot there. You message a city guide or scan a QR code shared by a friend  and suddenly you’re “in the square.” The guide greets you:

“Welcome to Erie. Would you like to see what’s happening near the waterfront, explore local art, or find a family-friendly spot for dinner?”

Each response surfaces stories, places, and people and not just addresses. The AI guide can introduce you to a local brewery owner, recommend a mural walk, and even connect you to volunteer opportunities before you arrive. It’s not just search; it’s presence.

Why maps and directories can’t keep up

• They assume the user knows where to start. Most people don’t. They arrive with feelings (“something relaxing,” “somewhere with character”) not fixed destinations.
• They expire. Once printed or posted, they’re out of date. New events, closures, and seasonal changes make accuracy impossible.
• They’re one-way. Maps tell you where. They don’t listen, translate, or remember.

AI-guided discovery changes this by merging context and conversation. The experience becomes adaptive. Ask in Spanish, Mandarin, or English and the AI guide responds. Say you’re traveling with kids, or on a budget, or need wheelchair access, the guide reshapes the plan instantly. 

The digital square becomes as personal as a local handshake.

How communities can build their digital town square

The infrastructure already exists. AI agents can be deployed across every local website, connected by a network. Whether someone starts at a hotel, a museum, or a farmers market page, they enter the same civic ecosystem, one that reflects the town’s collective voice rather than fragmented marketing silos.

The technical model is simple but powerful:

• Step 1 – Connect data: Local businesses, nonprofits, and civic offices share structured facts like hours, events, accessibility details, and stories in machine-readable form - platforms like skilly can make this nearly instant.
• Step 2 – Deploy guides: Each organization hosts its own AI guide capable of conversation by web, text, or voice. The agents can refer to one another seamlessly.
• Step 3 – Link discovery: QR codes, NFC tags, posters, and menus across the city lead people into the same digital town square. Once inside, the guide knows who’s nearby, what’s open, and how to connect them.

Activation matters.

Visitors should be able to enter the digital square through any door like a text message, a voice prompt, a link, or a scan. The moment they do, the entire community is “present,” even if it’s 2 a.m.

Example: A digital Erie, PA, USA

A traveler planning a weekend in Erie might start with a simple search for “things to do by the water.” Instead of landing on a static listicle, they meet a local AI guide that curates the experience: kayak rentals, live music near the Bicentennial Tower, and an art walk near State Street.

At any point, the guide can connect them to other AI agents like a Presque Isle park agent for outdoor activities, a Maritime Museum guide for history, and a Bayfront business agent for dining. When they arrive in person, QR codes around town reintroduce them: “Welcome back. Would you like to see what’s happening tonight?”

Every interaction deepens the sense of belonging. Visitors don’t just browse Erie and they participate in it.

The 24/7, multilingual, always-on advantage

A digital town square never closes. It speaks every language, handles late-night questions, and remembers the stories that make each place unique. It can even serve as a civic backbone, alerting residents to community meetings, connecting job seekers to employers, or guiding new students through campus resources.

That inclusivity isn’t a side benefit; it’s the point. True connection means no one gets left out because of language, timing, or access. 

Why it matters now

The world doesn’t need more directories. It needs digital communities that act like real ones: connected, conversational, and collaborative. The cities that move first will define what “arrival” means in the AI era… not a click on a map, but a welcome into a living network of people and possibilities.

How to get started

• Audit your local ecosystem: Identify the major attractions, small businesses, and nonprofits that define your community. Each can host an AI guide.
• Build the shared square: Create a central digital hub, a single landing space where every guide can connect and collaborate.
• Activate the physical world: Add QR codes to doors, posters, receipts, and city signage so the digital and physical worlds stay in sync.
• Promote participation: Encourage residents and organizations to update their information and share stories. The town square grows smarter with every contribution.

The new civic handshake

When visitors walk into a real town square, they expect to be greeted by shopkeepers, musicians, and neighbors. The digital version should feel the same: alive, local, and human. AI-guided discovery doesn’t replace community; it amplifies it.

Connection begins before arrival, lasts long after departure, and speaks to everyone all at once. That’s the promise of the new digital town square: a living welcome that never goes dark.

‍