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Rabat – The National School of Business and Management (ENCG) in Meknes organized on Friday the second edition of its AI Competition, centered around the theme “Artificial Intelligence for Society.”
The event aimed to showcase a commitment to fostering innovation while addressing societal needs through the lens of artificial intelligence.
It kicked off with a conference featuring experts and professors from different Moroccan universities who shared insights on the transformative potential of AI in several fields, notably education.
Professor at ENCG Meknes Hajar Slimani speaking at the event
“The ‘IA for Society’ event has the potential to cultivate a culture of innovation within Moroccan universities by facilitating collaboration between engineers and managers, thereby establishing expert teams conducive to creative and innovative exchanges,” said Hajar Slimani, professor at ENCG Meknes.
The goal, she said, “is to shift students’ mindset towards the digital realm by emphasizing educational and associative programs focused on entrepreneurship, AI, and innovation.”
“As professors, some feel that artificial intelligence is a threat to their job, but I am not completely aligned with this idea. We can build a very interesting collaboration between AI and classical techniques of education,” professor at ENCG Meknes Lalla Sbai Hassani Oumnia told Morocco World News.
She highlighted the role of AI in personalized education systems, enabling students to align their interests with career goals.
In addition, Oumnia emphasized the need for a balanced perspective on AI, saying: “We are doing this conference today to get students and educators more awareness about the real mission of artificial intelligence and how we can cope with ethical issues and the positive aspects of this technology.”
Professor at ENCG Meknes Lalla Sbai Hassani Oumnia
At the conference, Professor Brahim El Bhiri, a social innovation expert, discussed AI’s role in education. He highlighted its applications as a “virtual facilitator, automated grader, data accumulator, and personalized learning tool,” emphasizing its adaptability and data accumulation features.
Meanwhile, AI expert and IT Consultant Oussama Hamal expanded on the applications of AI in society.
“AI is everywhere in our society and our life. We’re going to try to introduce this concept to students and help them deploy it in different projects for academic and business purposes,” Halal told MWN.
He underlined the importance of incorporating AI in smart cities, smart computers, and, notably, education.
Professor, AI expert, IT Consultant Oussama Hamal (left)
Hamal, who is also a professor at the National School of Architecture in Marrakesh, expressed optimism about students exploring AI.
“It’s the future, and it will do innovative and creative things if they use it in a positive way,” he said
He outlined the plan to conclude the event with recommendations and practical workshops to reinforce the hands-on application of AI concepts.
The collaborative nature of the competition was emphasized by Professor Oumnia, who stated, “We are receiving students from other schools .. and we are mixing them with our students.”
Attendees at the event
She added that the objective is to “build bridges between different schools and let them present their startups and projects.”
The competition aimed to not only promote awareness about AI but also to create a space for interdisciplinary collaboration.
Hamal summarized the broader vision, stating, “In the end, we’re going to sum up with some recommendations and try to practice these recommendations in different kinds of workshops.”
The emphasis on practical implementation reiterated the commitment to ensuring that AI initiatives are not just theoretical but can be applied to real-world scenarios.
The inauguration of the event
The professors collectively envisioned AI as a tool not just for technological advancement but as a means to address future societal challenges.
With its focus on ethical considerations and positive integration, the event sought to mark a step towards shaping a future where artificial intelligence contributes meaningfully to innovation and societal well-being.
Following the conference, the participating teams are set to present their projects. The jury will thendecide on the winners and hand out awards.
