The digital transformation process of smart cities in the Kingdom, supported by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority “Sadaya” in partnership with several government entities, has resulted in the advancement of the classification of five Saudi cities in the IMD index for smart cities globally in 2024 compared to the data published in the 2023 report. This progress has been achieved through the utilization of data collection technologies and artificial intelligence, according to the International Institute for Administrative Development.
This year, the city of Al Khobar joined the list of cities in the index for the first time, which also included the cities of Riyadh, Mecca, Jeddah, and Medina. Some of these cities have seen improvements in their positions within the global rankings of the index, with Riyadh holding the third position in the Arab world, while Mecca ranked fifth, Jeddah sixth, and Medina seventh. On a global scale, Riyadh ranked twenty-fifth, climbing five places from the previous year, Mecca remained in fifty-second place, Jeddah advanced to fifty-fifth place, rising one spot, and Medina jumped to seventy-fourth place, advancing by eleven places compared to the previous year. Al Khobar secured the ninetieth spot within a ranking that includes 142 cities worldwide.
The IMD Smart Cities Index for 2024 focuses on several criteria, including the residents’ perception of the extent and impact of efforts to transform their cities into smart cities and the level of achieving harmony between economic and technological factors while considering human elements. It also includes the role in bridging the gap between the residents’ desires and needs and modern methods.
In the development of smart cities, modern technology is used to achieve optimal resource consumption, reduce harmful gas emissions, and make shared spaces better suited to residents’ needs.
The initiatives led by (Sadaya) alongside governmental entities have contributed to raising the status of cities in the Kingdom within the IMD Smart Cities Index through a series of projects and initiatives that have helped embody the concept of smart cities, such as working on the national platform for smart cities. This platform provides advanced analytics using simulation models that enhance the development of future plans and strategies by adopting artificial intelligence-based solutions.
This platform includes criteria for real-time monitoring of the core activities in the Saudi capital to promote future urban development that contributes to enhancing the quality of life. In addition to steps taken to innovate a mechanism to detect structural corruption in Riyadh using cameras that capture street images evaluated using artificial intelligence to monitor the state of structural corruption weekly in an initial step that will expand to cover four other cities in the Kingdom. These cities undergo periodic assessments of regions of high importance to support urban organizational processes and upgrade life quality, as well as improve the urban landscape by using innovative technical solutions that drive towards a more sustainable and evolving urban expansion.
As part of this initiative, Sadaya intensified its local efforts to support the concept of smart cities within the Kingdom, aiming to benefit from international experiences in this sector and integrate them into the Saudi environment. Based on this, the first global forum for smart cities was organized last February.
Several national projects were launched at the forum, including the inauguration of the Center of Excellence specialized in addressing congestion issues through data utilization and artificial intelligence. The center aims to provide innovative solutions for various government entities in the country to enhance the quality of life for city residents. This center leverages data and artificial intelligence tools to help reduce traffic congestion, facilitate traffic flow, develop smart solutions for government institutions, enhance data-driven decision-making to address traffic challenges, support sustainability, improve efficiency, and enhance the quality of life in urban areas.
As part of the national efforts towards smart cities in line with this international indicator, (Sadaia) has contributed through the Tawakalna platform to enrich the user experience in cities, by enhancing collaboration with various government entities to provide advanced and high-quality services characterized by digital efficiency, ease, and convenience. Additionally, Sadaia provides technical support for the national platform for charity work (Ihsan), an electronic platform trusted for charitable donations in the kingdom, utilizing modern technologies to facilitate donors’ contributions and ensure their donations reach beneficiaries promptly to make a positive impact in their lives, under the supervision of a committee comprising representatives from 13 government entities.
In the context of smart city indicators for 2024, the Center of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence in the healthcare sector was established by (Sadaia) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to develop the national strategic plan for data and artificial intelligence in the healthcare field. The center aims to contribute to establishing the basic rules and standards for health data and enhancing artificial intelligence capabilities to build a national innovation center in the field of data and artificial intelligence for the healthcare sector. In this context, the project (Aynay) was launched, which is a technical solution using artificial intelligence to diagnose retinal damage due to diabetes. Additionally, the initiative (Sawtak) has started, which relies on an artificial intelligence system to convert speech to text using voice recognition technology, either in standard Arabic or local dialects.
The International Institute for Management Development (IMD) is considered one of the prominent institutions in the field of global business management and is used as a trusted source for competitive comparison between countries by various international organizations and institutions. The institute also serves as a key reference for global leaders and policymakers to evaluate the impact of national policies in driving prosperity, development, and raising living standards.
