A Green Party proposal to delay the start of a £4.6million Artificial Intelligence project was rejected by the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.
The committee agreed that work could begin on the AI Adoption programme for Belfast Region City Deal partners, pending final ratification at the full council meeting later this week.
Approval remains conditional on the Stormont Department for Economy endorsing the business case submitted by the council.
While the decision to proceed was made, officials acknowledged that the complete environmental footprint of the Belfast City Region Deal AI initiative cannot yet be fully determined.
Critics have highlighted that operating and constructing artificial intelligence infrastructure demands significant quantities of electricity, water, and raw materials.
Belfast Council has not released detailed specifications regarding its proposed expensive technology programme for the city deal.
The committee also ratified the Belfast Region City Deal annual report covering the 2025/26 financial year during the same session.
Broader regeneration projects linked to the Belfast City Region Deal include Belfast Stories, the Bangor Waterfront development, Newry city centre improvements, the Gobbins cliff walk upgrade in Larne, and Carrickfergus regeneration.