Morocco is falling behind in the race for artificial intelligence (AI) dominance, ranking 79th out of 83 countries in the 2024 Global AI Index.
Compiled by British media organization Tortoise Media, the ranking evaluates countries based on AI investment, innovation, and implementation.
Morocco is even trailing regional peers, including Egypt, which ranked 52nd, and Tunisia, at 71st. On the global stage, the United States remains the clear leader in AI, scoring 100 points in the Index, nearly double China’s score of 53.
Meanwhile, smaller nations with robust AI ecosystems, such as Singapore (ranked 3rd) and Israel, continue to outperform larger economies on a per-capita basis. These countries lead the rankings in terms of AI “intensity,” a measure that evaluates a nation’s AI capacity relative to its population and economic size.
Closer to Morocco, Europe has made substantial advancements in AI regulation and innovation. The European Union recently passed the world’s first comprehensive AI law, aiming to reinforce ethical AI development. France, which has experienced a surge in generative AI investment, jumped to 5th place in the global rankings.
AI in Morocco
Despite lagging behind in the global ranking, Morocco has made significant strides in recent years toward AI adoption. A hallmark of these efforts is the investment in telecommunications infrastructure and programs like “Maroc Digital 2020.”
AI is being applied in various domains, such as license plate recognition, traffic management, and satellite imagery for agriculture.
AI technologies are also being used to optimize public transportation and for facial recognition in airports, contributing to the security and efficiency of public services.