Governance of Artificial Intelligence and its Institutional Applications in Iraq: A Comprehensive Theoretical Review of Possible Frameworks and Policies

Abstract

This study addresses the issue of artificial intelligence (AI) governance and its institutional applications in Iraq from a comprehensive theoretical perspective, reviewing international and regional frameworks and diagnosing the Iraqi reality. The study is based on a firm belief that AI represents an exceptional opportunity for Iraq to leapfrog toward a digital future that enhances government efficiency and improves service quality. However, these benefits will only be realized through good governance that ensures the responsible and safe use of these technologies.

The study's problem revolves around the wide gap between Iraq's development aspirations and the lagging reality of the legislative, institutional, and technical infrastructure. Four major gaps were identified: legislative, represented by the absence of a comprehensive national AI law and the failure to pass a Personal Data Protection Law since 2021; institutional, manifested by the fragmentation of powers, weak coordination, and the absence of a clear central entity; capacity, manifested by a severe shortage of specialized personnel and weak educational programs; and a weak digital infrastructure suffering from fragmented data and low quality standards, with a low ranking (133 out of 181) on the Government AI Readiness Index.

The study adopted a systematic and comprehensive theoretical review of the available literature and sources during the period 2018-2025, with a focus on recent sources. The review included an analysis of the core principles of AI governance (transparency, fairness, accountability, safety, and privacy), a study of global frameworks from organizations such as UNESCO, the OECD, and the European Union, and a comparison of national and regional experiences in the United States, China, and the Gulf states, particularly the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.

The study concluded that the optimal model for Iraq is a hybrid approach that combines risk-based regulation at the national level with flexible sectoral regulation. It identified five priority sectors for applications: smart government and public services, health, education, the financial sector, and the energy sector, specifying the compliance requirements for each sector. The study presented an implementation roadmap, divided into three phases: urgent (year 1), focusing on basic interventions, issuing interim instructions, and forming a governance entity; foundational (years 2-3), building an integrated legal and institutional framework; and sustainable (years 4-5+), focusing on continuous improvement, industrial localization, and international cooperation. In conclusion, the study confirmed that AI governance is not an obstacle to innovation, but rather a strategic necessity and a prerequisite for a safe and sustainable digital transformation. Iraq stands before a historic opportunity to build a modern governance framework that learns from the experiences of others and transforms AI into a practical tool for addressing chronic development challenges, provided there is political will, serious investment, and effective collaboration among all stakeholders.