Morocco is deepening its collaboration with Mistral AI following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on September 12 with Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Minister Delegate in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform. The MoU, signed by Arthur Mensch, co-founder and CEO of Mistral AI, marks a strategic step in Morocco’s ambition to position itself as a regional and continental leader in artificial intelligence.
The agreement outlines four key priorities: developing local AI skills through training and applied research; fostering startups and industrial projects built on sovereign AI solutions tailored to Moroccan needs; promoting ethical, inclusive, and responsible AI use; and strengthening Morocco’s role as a regional hub for digital innovation.
A future R&D center is planned, to be developed with the support of Moroccan public authorities and private companies. The center will focus on major AI topics relevant to Africa, aligning with Morocco’s broader digital transformation agenda. The initiative complements the government’s recent announcement of a new AI-dedicated data center in Dakhla.
Sectors expected to benefit from the partnership include energy, logistics, transportation, and agriculture. For Mistral AI, the partnership strengthens its credibility as a rising European AI powerhouse, while enabling Morocco to accelerate technological investments.
Mistral AI, valued at €12 billion, recently raised €1.7 billion with ASML joining its investors. In just two years, the Paris-based startup has emerged as a leading European challenger in artificial intelligence, rivaling U.S. and Chinese tech giants.
