Casablanca – Morocco is gaining ground in the regional market for artificial intelligence-related technologies, with high-tech products accounting for more than 5% of the country’s manufactured exports. At the same time, the use of artificial intelligence and other advanced digital technologies by Moroccan businesses remains relatively limited, highlighting a gap between the country’s export capabilities and the level of technological adoption within the domestic economy.

Recent World Bank findings place Morocco among the leading exporters of high-technology and AI-related products in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan region. Tunisia has an even higher share, with high-tech products representing more than 7% of its manufactured exports. Morocco and Tunisia are ahead of several other economies in the region, including Egypt and Pakistan, in terms of the contribution of high-technology goods to manufactured exports.

Morocco’s performance reflects its growing participation in international technology value chains. The country has expanded its manufacturing and export base in sectors where technology, engineering and digital systems are becoming increasingly important. However, the ability to produce and export high-tech goods does not necessarily mean that advanced technologies are widely used by companies operating in the domestic market.

The gap is particularly visible in artificial intelligence. A World Bank survey of formal businesses found that 98.8% of Moroccan companies use basic digital technologies, showing that digital tools have become widespread across the business sector. Adoption falls sharply as the technologies become more sophisticated. Around 31.7% of firms use advanced technologies, while only 4.3% report using big data or AI. Cloud services have a significantly wider presence, with adoption estimated at about 38% to 40%.

These figures indicate that Morocco has largely moved through the first stage of business digitalization, but the transition toward advanced applications is still developing. Having access to computers, internet services and basic business software has become common, whereas using data analytics, AI systems and other advanced tools as part of core business operations remains much less frequent.

The distinction matters because the economic impact of technology depends heavily on how businesses use it. The World Bank has found that fewer than half of Moroccan companies using advanced software deploy it intensively. In practice, companies may purchase or introduce new digital systems without fully integrating them into production, management, sales, logistics or decision-making.

This limits the potential productivity gains associated with technological investment. A company that uses AI only for isolated administrative tasks will generally obtain fewer benefits than one that incorporates data analysis and automated systems throughout its operations. Moving toward deeper use will therefore require changes in business practices as well as additional investment in technology.

The cost of adoption remains one of the main obstacles. Advanced digital systems can require significant expenditure on software licenses, computing capacity, cloud services, cybersecurity, data infrastructure and employee training. These costs can be particularly difficult for smaller businesses, which make up a large part of Morocco’s private sector and often have more limited financial and technical resources.

The availability of skilled workers is another factor influencing the pace of adoption. Morocco has expanded its pool of people with AI-related expertise in recent years. LinkedIn data cited in the World Bank’s analysis shows that the country’s AI engineering skills base more than tripled between 2016 and 2024.

The increase indicates that Morocco is building capabilities needed for the development and use of advanced technologies. However, the country also faces competition for highly qualified digital professionals. Morocco, Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia recorded net outflows of AI-skilled workers in 2024, with technology professionals increasingly attracted by opportunities in Gulf countries as well as France, the United Kingdom and the United States.

This movement creates an additional challenge for Morocco because developing an AI economy requires a workforce capable of designing, implementing and maintaining advanced systems. Training more specialists is therefore important, but retaining those skills within the domestic economy is equally relevant.

The regional distribution of digital infrastructure adds another dimension to the issue. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have moved further in areas such as data centers, computing capacity and large-scale digital infrastructure. Morocco has a smaller share of the region’s connected data centers, although it remains among the countries developing its digital infrastructure.

According to data cited by the World Bank, Morocco accounted for around 5% of connected data centers in the MENAAP region in June 2026. Saudi Arabia represented about 22%, Pakistan 19% and the UAE 15%, while Bahrain accounted for 8%. Egypt and Qatar each represented around 6%, placing Morocco in a group of countries with a smaller but developing data-center presence.

The difference is significant because artificial intelligence requires substantial computing resources. Countries with larger data-center networks and access to high-performance computing can support the development and deployment of more complex AI systems. Morocco’s challenge is therefore not limited to encouraging companies to purchase AI software; it also involves ensuring sufficient infrastructure for processing and storing the growing quantities of data required by advanced applications.

The country’s position within the regional AI economy nevertheless differs from that of the Gulf states. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have made larger investments in computing infrastructure and data centers, while Morocco and Tunisia have developed stronger positions in technology-related exports. This means that regional economies are developing complementary capabilities rather than following exactly the same model.

Morocco can potentially benefit from this division of capabilities by combining its growing technical workforce and manufacturing base with wider access to computing resources, cloud infrastructure and international technology partnerships.

The economic importance of this transition extends beyond the technology sector itself. AI can be applied across large parts of the Moroccan economy, including manufacturing, agriculture, financial services, logistics, tourism, telecommunications and public administration.

In manufacturing, companies can use AI for quality control, predictive maintenance, production planning and supply-chain management. Agriculture can benefit from systems that analyze weather, soil and crop information. Banks and financial institutions can apply advanced data analysis to risk assessment and fraud detection. Logistics companies can use AI to optimize routes and inventories, while tourism businesses can employ automated systems for customer services and demand forecasting.

These applications could allow businesses to increase output without necessarily requiring equivalent increases in labor or capital. The impact would depend on the extent to which companies are able to integrate these technologies into existing processes and train employees to work effectively alongside them.

Employment is therefore another important part of the discussion. The World Bank’s analysis does not suggest that AI will simply eliminate large numbers of jobs across the region. Instead, it indicates that AI could raise the productivity of up to 20% of jobs, particularly where technology complements workers rather than replacing them. Less than 10% of jobs are considered exposed to near-term automation risks.

This distinction is relevant to Morocco because many occupations could be transformed without disappearing. Administrative workers, analysts, managers, engineers and other professionals may increasingly use AI to process information, prepare documents, analyze data and support decisions. Workers with the ability to combine sector-specific knowledge with digital skills could therefore become more valuable as adoption increases.

The effects will not be distributed evenly. Urban workers and people with higher levels of education tend to have greater exposure to AI because they are more likely to work in occupations involving information processing and digital tools. Administrative, managerial and technology-related positions are among those most likely to be affected by the expansion of AI.

Morocco’s education and training system will consequently play a major role in determining whether AI produces broad productivity gains. Businesses will need workers who can understand data, operate digital systems and critically assess AI-generated information. Continuous professional training could become increasingly important as technologies change rapidly.

Government policy is also becoming an important part of Morocco’s approach. Public initiatives are supporting digital entrepreneurship, innovation, online public services and the modernization of businesses. A broader digital transformation strategy is aimed at improving the environment for startups, strengthening digital skills and encouraging greater use of cloud technologies and advanced digital systems.

The challenge is to ensure that these initiatives translate into widespread use by private companies. Public investment can create infrastructure and favorable conditions, but businesses ultimately need to adopt technologies as part of their commercial operations.

The country’s export performance offers a useful foundation for this process. With high-tech goods already representing more than 5% of manufactured exports, Morocco has demonstrated that it can participate in international technology value chains. The expansion of automotive, aerospace, electronics and other technologically demanding activities has also increased demand for engineering and digital skills.

The next stage is to extend these capabilities beyond export-oriented companies. Smaller domestic businesses will need access to affordable digital services, financing and technical support if they are to adopt more advanced technologies. Without wider adoption, the productivity gains generated by AI and other digital tools could remain concentrated among a relatively small number of companies.

Data availability will also become increasingly important. AI systems depend on reliable and usable datasets, while companies need appropriate systems for collecting, storing and managing information. Morocco’s ability to develop high-quality local datasets could support the creation of applications adapted to its economic and social environment.

Language is another consideration. AI systems used in Morocco need to operate effectively across Arabic, Moroccan Arabic, French and Amazigh, depending on the application. Developing technologies that respond accurately to local languages and business conditions could create opportunities for Moroccan companies and researchers to develop specialized solutions.

The country’s current position therefore reflects two parallel developments. Morocco is becoming more visible in international markets for high-tech and AI-related products, while the use of AI inside Moroccan businesses remains at an early stage. The difference is particularly clear when comparing the more than 5% share of high-tech products in manufactured exports with the 4.3% rate of reported big data and AI adoption among surveyed firms.

Reducing this gap will require more than simply increasing access to technology. Businesses will need to invest in advanced systems, employees will need appropriate skills, and the country will need sufficient computing infrastructure and data resources. Lowering adoption costs will be particularly important for smaller companies.

Morocco’s progress in technology exports gives it a base from which to expand. The key question for the coming years will be whether the country can translate its growing export capabilities and expanding pool of AI skills into broader use of advanced technologies across the domestic economy.

If businesses succeed in integrating AI into their core activities, the impact could extend well beyond technology-related exports, supporting productivity in manufacturing and services and helping Moroccan companies compete in increasingly digital international markets. For now, however, the country’s AI story remains characterized by strong external capabilities alongside relatively modest domestic adoption.