The Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) organized a virtual webinar via Zoom on “AI Applications in Local Government Units,” with the participation of 65 representatives from 50 Local Government Units (LGUs) that are members of the Innovation, Creativity and Digital Transformation Platform. The webinar aimed to highlight key applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation, while exploring opportunities to leverage them to enhance municipal work and improve the efficiency of services provided to citizens.

During the webinar, Mr. Ahmad Maharma, Founder and CEO of AdoptersAI, delivered a presentation on key AI and digital transformation applications being used in several countries across the Middle East and Europe, in addition to a number of relevant practical experiences and practices that can be leveraged and applied by LGUs. He also highlighted the latest developments and initiatives being undertaken by the company in the fields of AI and digital transformation in Portugal, including applications being developed in cooperation with Ramallah Municipality.

Dr. Safaa Aldwaik, Director of the Geographic Information Systems and Information Technology Department at Ramallah Municipality, presented key AI applications currently being used by the municipality and the ways in which they are being leveraged to support and enhance municipal work. She also highlighted a number of ongoing processes and applications that utilize AI, and their role in improving the quality of services provided to citizens.

The webinar also addressed the safe and effective use of AI tools, providing a set of guidelines on data protection and privacy, including personal and sensitive data, confidential information, and data related to LGUs and citizens. The discussions emphasized the importance of handling such data responsibly and cautiously when using AI tools.

The webinar was held as part of the activities of the "Next Generation Municipal E-Services” project, implemented by APLA, Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and supported by (GIZ). The project aims to support Palestinian LGUs in leading the digital transformation process by strengthening their institutional and operational capacities, developing smart municipal services, fostering a culture of innovation in municipal work, and building strategic partnerships that contribute to the sustainability of digital transformation across Palestinian LGUs.