AI integration into public services, Morocco ranks 5th in Africa
Morocco ranked fifth in the list of African countries ready to effectively integrate AI into public services, according to the Oxford Institute AI readiness index.
With an overall score of 43.34 out of 100, the Kingdom is becoming increasingly ready to embrace and implement the technology, according to the “Government AI Readiness Index 2023” report, released by UK-based consultancy Oxford Insights.
Morocco is listed behind Mauritius (53.27), Egypt (52.69), South Africa (47.28), and Tunisia (46.07), said the index.
In the MENA area, Morocco occupies the 12th spot, while it holds the 88th rank globally.
The index bases its ranking on three elements: ‘government’, ‘technology’, and ‘data & infrastructure’. Morocco scored 37.54, 35.69, and 56.79 in each of the elements.
The same organization included 39 variables across 10 dimensions, making up the three pillars, and ranked 193 countries—up from 181 in the previous iteration—to provide valuable insights into the state of global AI readiness.
Oxford Insights said “In 2023, artificial intelligence (AI) was in the headlines more than ever. Generative AI breakthroughs, major developments in the field of AI regulation like the European Union’s AI Act, and a significant increase in AI-related summits globally have put this technology in the spotlight. The transformative potential of AI is undeniable, with governments worldwide acknowledging its impact.”
According to the index ranking, the top ten countries ready for AI are the USA, Singapore, UK, Finland, Canada, France, South Korea, Germany, Japan, and the Netherlands.
Ranked last is the democratic people’s Republic of Korea.
The report underlines how one of the first generative AI laws in the world was implemented in East Asia. The Interim Measures for the Administration of Generative Artificial Intelligence Services were approved in August by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and six other government agencies.
The regulations impose strict adherence to data privacy and intellectual property laws on companies, but only for generative AI systems that are intended for public use. These laws are meant to be interim measures while a comprehensive national “AI Law” is being created.
