Morocco has launched “AI Made in Morocco,” a comprehensive national initiative designed to integrate artificial intelligence across its economy and establish the country as a regional leader in the field. The strategy, announced yesterday by Minister Delegate Amal El Fallah-Seghrouchni, aims to contribute 100 billion dirham (approximately $10 billion) to the national GDP by 2030, create 50,000 AI-related jobs, and train 200,000 skilled professionals.
Strategic Shift: Beyond Adoption to Sovereignty
This initiative represents a deliberate shift in Morocco’s approach to AI. Rather than simply adopting existing technologies, the government is positioning AI as a core strategic capability. The focus extends beyond economic gains to include digital sovereignty, public sector reform, and increased regional influence. This move underscores a growing global trend: nations increasingly view AI not just as a tool for efficiency, but as a critical component of national power and competitiveness.
Three Pillars of the AI Strategy
The “AI Made in Morocco” strategy is built around three core pillars:
- Sovereignty and Trust: Establishing governance, regulation, and robust infrastructure to ensure national control over AI development and deployment.
- Innovation and Competitiveness: Investing in human capital through education, research, and industrial development to foster a thriving AI ecosystem.
- Impact, Adoption, and Influence: Prioritizing real-world applications of AI across sectors, driving economic outcomes, and expanding Morocco’s position in the international AI landscape.
Decentralized AI Network: The Jazari Institutes
A key component of the strategy is the launch of the Al Jazari Institute network. This distributed system of AI Centers of Excellence, starting with the “Jazari Root Racine” hub in Rabat, will span all 12 Moroccan regions. This regional approach is intentional: Morocco seeks to avoid concentrated development and instead promote technological equity, ensuring that even historically underserved areas benefit from AI-driven growth.
The Institutes will focus on four core functions:
* AI skills training,
* applied research,
* shared digital infrastructure,
* and startup incubation.
Building National AI Assets: Data, Software, and Infrastructure
Morocco is also investing heavily in foundational AI assets. These include a National Data Factory to govern public-sector data, a National Software Forge to pool government-developed algorithms, and sovereign cloud infrastructure, including a 50 MW data facility and a planned 500 MW renewable-powered center in Dakhla. The development of national language models is also underway, specifically targeting underrepresented Moroccan and regional languages.
International Collaboration: Morocco and Mistral AI
To accelerate development, Morocco has signed a memorandum of understanding with French generative AI company Mistral AI. This partnership will facilitate joint research, technical exchanges, and long-term cooperation in the field. The move is part of a broader pattern of South-South and North-South collaboration on AI, as nations seek to diversify their partnerships beyond traditional tech hubs.
Regional Equity and Long-Term Vision
The expansion of AI centers of excellence to all 12 regions is a deliberate effort to address historical disparities in technological access. The first centers were established in Guelmim-Oued Noun (south) and Nador (northeast), strategically chosen to bridge the gap between national research institutions and local ecosystems. The goal is to integrate AI into key regional sectors, including agriculture, tourism, and energy, while simultaneously fostering local skills development and startup ecosystems.
In conclusion, Morocco’s “AI Made in Morocco” initiative is a bold attempt to leapfrog into the AI era, not as a consumer of technology, but as a sovereign producer. This strategy positions AI as a cornerstone of national development, economic growth, and regional leadership, signaling a broader shift in global AI dynamics.
