Kuwait has initiated a nationwide Digital Twin Project, aiming to create a high-resolution, virtual replica of the entire country to support smart governance, infrastructure development, and public sector efficiency.
The ambitious initiative has been unveiled as part of its ‘New Kuwait 2027’ development vision. Led by the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI), the Digital Twin Project seeks to digitally map approximately 2,500 square kilometers with an accuracy of less than 10 centimeters. It will integrate data from various government entities to build a virtual model of Kuwait’s streets, buildings, and natural landscapes.
The Digital Twin Project includes several key components: a digital replica of Kuwait’s urban layout, 3D mapping of building exteriors, mapping of green spaces and urban land cover, and a high-accuracy topographic map. These maps will be regularly updated using artificial intelligence (AI), enabling near real-time data accuracy and significantly reducing update cycles from one year to under three months.
Specialized AI programs are being developed to update building and street information, reducing the update cycle from one year to less than three months. The system also reduces reliance on manual labor by using satellite and aerial imagery. Government employees are being trained to work with AI-based systems and digital evaluation tools to monitor infrastructure changes and ensure data quality.
To complement the efforts of Digital Twin Project, Kuwait is also upgrading the ‘Sahl’ mobile application, its official government service platform launched in 2021. With a $11.4 million (KD 3.5 million) investment, the app is transitioning to a managed services model backed by a specialized technical team. Goals include aligning the app with modern IT infrastructure, enabling 24/7 accessibility, and preparing it for full cloud deployment.
Further supporting the country’s digital transformation, along with the Digital Twin Project, authorities are developing a National Digital Skills Framework based on the globally recognized Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA).
The framework will identify skills gaps across government entities, define job roles, and establish training programs in fields such as cybersecurity, cloud computing, and AI. This multi-faceted digital strategy aims to position Kuwait as a regional leader in digital governance, advanced data infrastructure, and artificial intelligence by 2027.
