Smart cameras, connected traffic lights and municipal apps can help transform a city, but technology alone is not enough. We examine what Peruvian municipalities actually need to become truly smart cities.

A mayor can lead the digital transformation of a municipality, but an app or an AI system is not enough. Legal responsibilities, funding, data, interoperability and technical capacity determine whether a technology proposal can become a functioning public service.

Building an app can be useful, but it does not automatically make an organization digital. Data, interoperability, cybersecurity and well-designed processes determine whether technology actually improves the user's experience.