Morocco deploying huge investments in artificial intelligence

RABAT - Morocco is rapidly emerging as a key player in Africa's artificial intelligence (AI) landscape. Under the visionary leadership of King Mohammed VI, the North African Kingdom has placed AI at the heart of its ambitious Digital Morocco 2030 strategy.

This comprehensive roadmap aims to modernize public services, stimulate the digital economy, and position Morocco as a regional tech hub.

Minister of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni revealed Monday that Morocco is targeting a massive 100 billion dirhams (approximately $10 billion) contribution to its GDP from AI by 2030. With the country's current GDP around $170 billion, this represents a transformative economic boost through expanded data processing, cloud infrastructure, and widespread AI adoption across industries and government.

Key pillars of Morocco's AI investment strategy

The government has earmarked 11 billion dirhams ($1.2 billion) for its digital transformation plan from 2024–2026, with a significant portion dedicated to AI initiatives, fiber-optic expansion, and related infrastructure.

The core elements driving this heavy investment as sovereign data centers and cloud infrastructure. Morocco is prioritizing domestic data-processing capacity to ensure digital sovereignty. Major projects include large-scale, renewable-energy-powered facilities attracting international partners.

These modern facilities highlight Morocco's push to become a competitive nearshore hub for European AI and cloud workloads, thanks to its proximity to Europe and robust submarine cable connections.

Workforce development and education

The plan includes training 200,000 graduates in AI skills and creating 50,000 AI-related jobs by 2030. Initiatives range from national programs for children in digital and AI fields to partnerships with universities like Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P).

A national network of excellence centers, starting with JAZARI Root in Rabat (launched in early 2026), focuses on AI research, innovation, and ethical development.

Recent collaborations include agreements with France's Mistral AI for generative tools and explorations with global leaders. The government is also channeling funds (e.g., 1.3 billion dirhams announced in late 2025) to support tech startups, aiming for 3,000 new ventures by 2030.

Seghrouchni emphasized that AI is viewed not just as technology but as a "civilizational commitment" to reduce inequalities and enhance quality of life.

The huge investments in AI could redefine Morocco's role in the global digital economy — and inspire the broader African continent.