معوّقاتُ المدنِ الذّكيةِ(مدينةُ كربلاءَ دراسةٍ حالةُ)

Rp-Obstacles of smart cities karbala city :A case study .pd

The study aims to understand the reality of smart infrastructure in the city of Karbala, highlight the obstacles to its implementation, identify the key service sectors that have utilized artificial intelligence in their operations, based on global experiences applied in this field, and uncover the most significant challenges and obstacles facing the study area. Technology itself is not the goal but rather a means to achieve a decent standard of living among the city’s residents, based on internationally recognized urban standards and regulations. The reality of intelligence in Karbala is still lagging behind compared to some global and Arab experiences due to the weakness of the technological infrastructure. For the Smart Cities project in Karbala to succeed, there must be a suitable infrastructure that contributes to the development of artificial intelligence projects across the city’s institutions

The study shows disparities in the usage of artificial intelligence in administrative and service sectors in the city of Karbala. The health sector is the most prominent in utilizing intelligence, with a noticeable trend in hospitals to use information and communication technology to improve information exchange among different hospital departments. This trend is attributed to the efficiency and accuracy of such technology in executing daily patient transactions. For instance, in Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital, the usage of intelligence exceeds 45%, while in Al-Kafeel Specialized Hospital, it reaches 63%

Moreover, the study finds that most service departments in Karbala use various electronic software in many stages of their work, significantly enhancing their efficiency. For example, the Telecommunications and Information Directorate in Karbala uses online and GIS software, along with fiber optic cables and electronic archiving. Similarly, the Civil Status, Passports, and Residency Directorate in the holy city of Karbala utilizes computer programs such as Decuere and office software, in addition to launching projects like the electronic ration card, a significant step towards smart electronic governance

One of the main obstacles to implementing artificial intelligence in Karbala in the field of information technology is the shortage of specialists and the need for training and qualification of employees, as well as the scarcity and outdatedness of electronic devices and computers used, and the reliance on the old administrative system that depends on manual work, records, and paper correspondence. Furthermore, there is a lack of electronic culture among society members and awareness about dealing with technologies, which forms the basic foundation for e-commerce. Additionally, the high level of digital illiteracy in Iraq in general, and in Karbala specifically, limits access to electronic commerce platforms for a significant portion of consumers, reducing the market value of these commercial complexes in Karbala. Finally, challenges related to information security, such as the possibility of system penetration, loss of privacy and information integrity, and the difficulty of keeping up with continuous technological advancements, pose significant obstacles to the implementation of e-government.