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Rabat – France and several of its international partners, including Morocco, have announced the launch of an initiative related to artificial intelligence (AI).
According to Le Figaro, the initiative aims to raise $2.5 billion over the next five years and develop “systems to assess the social and environmental impact” of AI.
Dubbed “Current AI”, the project specifically aims to develop AI systems in France and Europe to promote innovation worldwide, a statement from the French government quoted President Emmanuel Macron as saying.
The statement published on Sunday came on the eve of France’s AI Action Summit which is kicking off in Paris today.
Morocco is part of the founding countries of the Current AI partnership, along with Nigeria, and Kenya, as well as Germany, Finland, Chile, Slovenia, and Switzerland.
Google, software publisher Salesforce, and the AI Collaborative group are also part of the initiative. The $400 million initiative receives support from tech giants, including Arthur Mensch.
Morocco has been pledging to continue embracing AI as a tool that could serve to facilitate and speed up development in different fields, including education, healthcare, and other key sectors.
Despite all of this global momentum, the North African country is aware of the challenges that AI could also bring.
Last week, President of Morocco’s National Human Rights Council (CNDH), Amina Bouayach, called for a national strategy focused on AI and the opportunities it presents for the digital landscape.
In an event at Hassan I University in Settat, the CNDH President called for an independent strategy to focus on what the AI world could offer to boost the country’s development.
Human rights “do not necessarily conflict with technological and digital advancements,” and are not “ an obstacle to innovation and progress,” she said.
The country has been stressing the importance of adopting AI in different sectors, including education.
In January, a Moroccan delegation called for the development of an Arab initiative to enhance the use of AI in education at a conference in Doha.
Younes Shimi, Secretary General of the Ministry, delivered the speech on behalf of Education Minister Mohammed Saad Berrada, in which he outlined Morocco’s initiatives to integrate AI into its educational framework. He specifically focused on its use in combating school dropouts and enhancing academic performance.
The speech also elevated the importance of training teachers in the area of AI to boost their competencies to better meet students’ needs.
Shimi also recalled Morocco’s ongoing educational reforms, noting that the government’s 2021-2026 program is still implementing these changes through the 2022-2026 roadmap for “a quality public school for all.”
