Lhe mastery of artificial intelligence technologies is becoming an issue of sovereignty as much as a lever for economic transformation. This orientation was reaffirmed Monday in Rabat during the “AI Made in Morocco: AI at the heart of digital transformation and public services” day, organized by the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, as a follow-up to the National Conference on Artificial Intelligence held last July.
Speaking on this occasion, the Minister Delegate in charge of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, underlined that “the Kingdom aims to make AI a tool of digital sovereignty, territorial equity and inclusive development”.
She indicated that “Morocco aims to become a hub of excellence in AI and advanced sciences, relying on structuring principles validated during the National Conference, held under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.” According to the minister, this dynamic is part of a strategic reading of the transformations underway on a global scale, where AI is becoming a determining factor in economic, institutional and geopolitical balances. She recalled that “the national ambition is based on five major pillars: technological sovereignty, citizen trust, massive skills development, the promotion of endogenous innovation and the consecration of territorial equity, calling for a joint mobilization of public, private, academic and international actors to build sustainable digital sovereignty”.
The geopolitical dimension of the Moroccan strategy was also highlighted by the ambassador, permanent representative of the Kingdom to the United Nations, Omar Hilale. In his speech, he considered that the “IA Made in Morocco” project constitutes an anticipatory response to global technological restructuring, capable of positioning Morocco as a continental digital hub. He noted that “artificial intelligence can become an instrument of international influence, solidarity and co-development, consistent with the royal vision of South-South cooperation”.
In this perspective, the “Morocco IA 2030” roadmap, presented during the event, aims to integrate AI as a transversal pillar of the Maroc Digital 2030 strategy. It notably provides for the strengthening of the regulatory framework, the structuring of the research and innovation ecosystem, as well as the acceleration of the integration of AI in public services, beyond simple dematerialization, to move towards more fluid, automated and user journeys. interoperable.
On the operational level, the strategy is based on the creation of a national network of centers of excellence called “Jazari Institutes”, designed to bring together scientific research, industrial needs and administration transformation projects. This network is structured around a central core, “Jazari Root”, responsible for coordination, and thematic institutes deployed in the territories, with the aim of structuring a complete AI value chain, from the production of knowledge to the deployment of solutions with strong economic and social impact. The regulatory and ethical dimension of the national strategy also occupied a central place during this meeting.
The president of the National Commission for the Control of the Protection of Personal Data (CNDP), Omar Seghrouchni, presented the broad outlines of the “Responsible AI Framework”, which he described as essential to guarantee the protection of data, in particular those of a personal nature. The day was also marked by the signing of eight agreements bringing together the various partners of the “Jazari” program, reflecting the desire to quickly lay the foundations for cooperation between public institutions, technological players and the academic world.
These agreements aim in particular to structure applied research, to encourage the emergence of industrial projects and to accelerate the transfer of skills to administrations and businesses. The other structuring announcement concerns the official launch of the artificial intelligence research and development laboratory “Mistral AI & MTNRA”, as part of a memorandum of understanding signed between the ministry and the company Mistral AI, specializing in generative AI. In this partnership, the ministry ensures the strategic management of the project and its integration into the Maroc Digital 2030 strategy. It provides for the establishment of the laboratory within Jazari Root and the definition of priority use cases.
