Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping economies and societies, transforming public services, industry, and innovation, among other sectors. By investing in this technology, Morocco aims to strengthen its competitiveness and digital sovereignty.

Moroccan and U.S. officials discussed deepening collaboration in digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) during meetings in Washington on Monday, March 17, as part of efforts to accelerate Morocco's tech ambitions.

Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Morocco's Minister Delegate for Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, met with Steve Lang, the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy, and Leila Elmergawi, Director of Global AI Strategy and Policy at the U.S. State Department. The discussions focused on Morocco’s AI roadmap and the Morocco Digital Plan 2030, reinforcing a shared commitment to digital innovation.

"We reaffirmed the strong Morocco-US partnership, advancing cooperation in digital transformation and artificial intelligence to foster innovation and shared prosperity for both our nations," said Youssef Amrani, Morocco’s Ambassador to the United States.

This strategic alliance supports Morocco's "Digital Morocco 2030" initiative, designed to establish the nation as a premier African technology hub. AI is pivotal in this vision, particularly for modernizing public services. Morocco intends to deploy AI-driven solutions to automate administrative processes, analyze data, and enhance service delivery, aiming to leap from 90th to 50th place in the United Nations Online Services Index by 2030.

The United States, according to the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI) AI Index, stands as the global leader in AI, excelling in research, development, and economic impact. Notably, U.S. private sector AI investment ($67.2 billion) dwarfs China's ($7.8 billion), and the U.S. produces significantly more machine learning models (61 vs. 15).

Morocco's strategy leverages this U.S. expertise to expedite its digital transformation and boost its international competitiveness. Enhanced cooperation could unlock access to cutting-edge technologies, bolster digital infrastructure, and attract crucial AI-sector investments. Through strategic knowledge transfer, Morocco also seeks to cultivate its research and innovation capabilities, nurturing a dynamic and competitive domestic AI ecosystem.

By Samira Njoya,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji