Rabat – Morocco has ranked as the fifth most AI-ready country in Africa, and the 88th globally with a score of 43.34 out of 100, according to a recent report by Oxford Insights.
The report from the London-based consultancy, titled “Government AI Readiness Index 2023,” has Morocco only behind Mauritius (53.27), Egypt (52.69), South Africa (47.28), and Tunisia (46.07) as far as African countries go.
Within the MENA region, which had the third largest range of scores as a region, Morocco ranked in 12th position, preceding nations such as Iran, Algeria, and Iraq.
The Government AI Readiness Index, aimed at providing crucial insights for the responsible integration of AI into public services, evaluated 193 countries this year — compared to 181 in the previous year — across 39 indicators spanning 10 dimensions.
These dimensions are rooted in three pillars: Government, Technology Sector, and Infrastructure and Data.
Morocco’s performance in the rankings is reflected in its scores of 37.54 on the Government pillar, 35.69 on the Technology pillar, and a score of 56.79 on Data and Infrastructure.
On the global stage, the United States once again asserts its dominance, topping the index, closely followed by Singapore, the United Kingdom, Finland, Canada, France, South Korea, and Germany. At the other end of the spectrum, the lowest rankings are occupied by North Korea, Syria, and South Sudan.
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The report noted that in 2023, artificial intelligence has dominated headlines like never before. Breakthroughs in generative AI, significant developments in AI regulation, and a surge in global AI-related summits have thrust this technology into the spotlight.
Already integrated across multiple sectors in Morocco, including healthcare, finance, education, transportation, and e-commerce, artificial intelligence is reshaping industries and driving innovation within the country.
In its 2022 report on the national AI strategy, non-profit organization “MoroccoAI” found that the country has made progress, mainly through the creation of academic institutions, the hosting of international conferences, the implementation of effective training and education programs, and the establishment of large-scale data centers.
