Razi University

Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have transformed the ways in which power resources are generated, organized, and employed within the international system, making technological capabilities an increasingly significant determinant of states’ national power. This study aims primarily to explain and analyze the impact of artificial intelligence on the components of Iraq’s national power and to identify the opportunities and challenges arising from the development and application of this technology in strengthening the country’s national capacities during the period from 2017 to 2026.The main research question is: How does artificial intelligence affect the components of Iraq’s national power, and what are the most significant opportunities and challenges associated with it? The central hypothesis posits that the targeted development and application of artificial intelligence can strengthen Iraq’s national power by enhancing its economic-technological, military-security, political-governance, and diplomatic-soft power capacities. However, the realization of this potential depends on digital and technological infrastructure, human capital, institutional capacity and the quality of governance, legal and regulatory frameworks, investment in science and technology, the degree of technological dependence, and the quality of international cooperation.The theoretical framework of the study is primarily grounded in classical realism and Hans Morgenthau’s theory of national power, while Joseph Nye’s concepts of soft power and smart power serve as a complementary framework. The study adopts a qualitative, descriptive-analytical research approach. Data are collected through library and documentary research and examined using qualitative and thematic analysis.The findings indicate that the impact of artificial intelligence on Iraq’s national power is neither direct nor automatic; rather, it is multidimensional and conditional. In the economic-technological dimension, the main identified opportunities include increased productivity, improved management of energy and water resources, development of the digital economy, and enhanced innovation. In the military-security dimension, they include improved intelligence analysis, threat prediction, cybersecurity, and crisis management. In the political-governance dimension, the principal opportunities involve data-driven decision-making, improved public services, greater tra  arency, and enhanced state implementation capacity. In the diplomatic-soft power dimension, the key opportunities include the development of digital diplomacy, public opinion analysis, management of Iraq’s international image, and the expansion of scientific and technological cooperation.Conversely, inadequate infrastructure and human capital, institutional and data fragmentation, shortcomings in legal and regulatory frameworks, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and technological dependence constitute some of the most significant challenges.Overall, the study finds that the central hypothesis receives analytical support and concludes that Iraq’s fundamental challenge lies not merely in gaining access to artificial intelligence, but rather in developing the capacity to absorb, organize, localize, and responsibly utilize AI in order to transform technological potential into effective national power.