Tunisia's AI Ambitions: Leveraging Human Capital for Economic Growth
Tunisia boasts a significant advantage in the race for artificial intelligence (AI). The country is home to a large pool of engineers, exports its expertise, and has one of the highest densities of developers in North Africa, with 4,120 developers per million inhabitants. This potential was at the center of discussions during the third edition of the Tunisia Global Forum (TGF), held on July 21, 2026, in Tunis by the Association of Tunisians from Grandes Écoles (ATUGE) under the theme "Building the Future in the Era of AI." Entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, public officials, and members of the diaspora gathered to address a common challenge: how to transform this reserve of skills into a genuine economic driver. The answer lies in a national strategy. The "TunisIA" White Paper proposes a roadmap for 2030 to accelerate the adoption of AI, strengthen infrastructure, and create a favorable environment for innovation.
Current State of AI Adoption in Tunisia
Despite its talent pool, Tunisia still lags behind in AI adoption, with an estimated adoption rate of 13%. The lack of computing capacity, data availability, and regulatory framework are among the main obstacles identified. To address these challenges, three priority areas have been identified: computing, energy, and data.
Priority Areas for Development
- Computing: The White Paper recommends pooling existing computing capacities, particularly those of the El Khawarizmi Computing Center (CCK), Novation City, and ESPRIT, to enable researchers and companies to access adapted resources without immediately investing heavily.
- Energy: This issue is closely linked to energy, as data centers require stable and competitive power supply, while Tunisia still relies on fossil fuels for 94% of its electricity. The document proposes developing renewable energy supply contracts, known as "Green PPAs," to support the emergence of more competitive digital infrastructure.
- Data: The White Paper highlights the lack of structured and interoperable databases, particularly in Tunisian dialect. The "Dareja Voice" project is among the proposals to create an open vocal corpus capable of feeding AI models adapted to the local context.
Regulatory Framework and Talent Retention
AI adoption also depends on trust. The document calls for evolving the legal framework with a framework law on AI, covering sensitive uses such as biometrics or artificially generated content. It also recommends creating a Strategic Council for Artificial Intelligence (CSIA) to coordinate public policies. Human capital remains Tunisia's primary advantage, with 71% of the population possessing digital skills and nearly 85 establishments offering AI or machine learning training.
Retaining Talent and Fostering Innovation
However, the brain drain remains a challenge. To address this, the White Paper proposes a plan around three axes: retaining local talent, retraining jobs exposed to automation, and encouraging the return of the diaspora. A pilot program aims to retrain 5,000 professionals by 2028. The goal is now to move AI from an emerging technology to an economic tool. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which account for nearly 90% of Tunisia's economic fabric, are called upon to integrate these solutions to improve productivity and develop new services. The public sector is also concerned, with the planned deployment of AI-based services in several areas.
Conclusion
In the face of regional competition led by Egypt in infrastructure and Morocco in renewable energy, Tunisia is betting on its engineers, digital ecosystem, and proximity to Europe. The challenge will be to transform this human potential into durable value creation.
