Al-Enabled Participatory Urban Planning for Sustainable Smart Cities
Evidence from the Dammam Metropolitan Area, Saudi Arabia
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13113170 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Abdulkarim K Alhowaish (0000-0001-5193-1815, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 158-158 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-16 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Urban Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2413-8851 • E-ISSN: 2413-8851 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/urbansci10030158 |
| OpenAlex | W7136890000 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 39 |
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly embedded in smart city strategies, yet its role in advancing participatory urban planning remains underexamined, particularly in rapidly urbanizing metropolitan contexts of the Global South. This exploratory, governance-centered study investigates how AI can support participatory urban planning for sustainable smart cities, emphasizing institutional mediation and trust dynamics. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, the research combines a purposive stakeholder survey (n = 260) with qualitative thematic analysis to assess AI awareness and use, participation quality, institutional and technical readiness, and public trust in the Dammam Metropolitan Area, Saudi Arabia. The findings reveal a participation paradox: relatively high AI awareness and digital readiness coexist with low perceived influence and limited confidence in participatory outcomes. Institutional coordination gaps, skill constraints, and regulatory ambiguity mediate the translation of AI adoption into meaningful engagement. Stakeholders favor AI applications, such as interactive mapping, predictive analytics, and digital twin visualization, that enhance transparency and deliberation over automated decision systems. Qualitative evidence further indicates that AI is perceived not as a standalone solution, but as a catalyst for institutional reform, capacity development, and sustainability-oriented governance. The study contributes to urban science by empirically validating a socio-technical framework that positions AI as a facilitative governance instrument embedded within institutional and trust-building processes. The findings offer policy-relevant insights for cities seeking to align AI-driven innovation with inclusive, accountable, and sustainable urban development
Citizen journalism · Corporate governance · Deliberation · Metropolitan area · Smart city · Thematic analysis · Transparency (behavior · Urban planning · E-Government and Public Services · Human Mobility and Location-Based Analysis · Smart Cities and Technologies
Artificial Intelligence and the Public Sector—Applications and Challenges
Smart cities of the future
Conceptualizing smart city with dimensions of technology, people, and institutions
Foundations for Smarter Cities
Reframing public participation
Achieving Integration in Mixed Methods Designs—Principles and Practices
Perceived value and continuance intention in mobile government service in China
Understanding citizen perceptions of AI in the smart city
The New Generation of Public Participation
Digital Technology and AI for Smart Sustainable Cities in the Global South
Artificial Intelligence for Smart Cities
Smart Cities
Governing the smart city
The smart future for sustainable development
The challenges and limits of big data algorithms in technocratic governance
Whether AI adoption challenges matter for public managers? The case of Polish cities
Defining digital transformation
Analysis of citizens' motivation and participation intention in urban planning
Eighty years of urban growth and socioeconomic trends in Dammam Metropolitan Area, Saudi Arabia
Problems and prospects in community engagement in urban planning and decision-making
Using thematic analysis in psychology
The Ethical Concerns of Artificial Intelligence in Urban Planning
When AIs become oracles
Algorithmic governance
Citizen Involvement Efforts and Bureaucratic Responsiveness
Citizen participation in the smart city
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |