How Tunisia Can Leverage its Talent Pool to Drive Competitiveness in Artificial Intelligence
Tunisia is seeking to transform its talent pool into a key driver of competitiveness in the field of artificial intelligence. To achieve this goal, the Association of Tunisians from Top Universities (ATUGE) has launched an initiative called TunisIA, which has resulted in the publication of a white paper outlining a vision and roadmap for the country's AI strategy by 2030.
Artificial Intelligence: A Factor of Competitiveness
Artificial intelligence is no longer a trend or a technology of the future, but rather a factor of competitiveness that is reshaping economies. In response to this transformation, Tunisia is looking to define its own trajectory. To this end, ATUGE has launched TunisIA, an initiative that has led to the development of a white paper intended to serve as a reference for policymakers, businesses, universities, and the entire digital ecosystem. Presented at the 3rd edition of the Tunisia Global Forum 2026, this document is more than just a report. Its initiators describe it as a "living document," published in open source format to be enriched by contributions from all stakeholders.
A Tunisian Approach to Artificial Intelligence
The ambition of the ecosystem is to enable Tunisia to develop a national strategy adapted to its realities, needs, and strengths, for the benefit of all stakeholders, without mechanically reproducing foreign models. The White Paper defends a "Tunisian" approach, based on local skills, investment sobriety, and responding to the concrete needs of citizens, businesses, and the administration.
A Mobilization of Reference Figures
One of the main strengths of this initiative lies in the diversity of profiles mobilized for its design. The project has brought together experts from international technology companies, academia, research, and entrepreneurship. The strategic committee is chaired by Amine Aloulou, president of ATUGE Tunisia, and includes notable figures such as:
- Karim Beguir, co-founder and CEO of InstaDeep
- Nozha Boujemaa, international expert and co-chair of the OECD's AI group
- Imed Zitouni, director of engineering at Meta
- Sami Ben Romdhane, vice president of Cloud and AI at eBay
- Professor Elyes Jouini of the University of Paris Dauphine-PSL Several recognized personalities from the Tunisian ecosystem also participate, including Neila Benzina, founder and CEO of Winbee, Mehdi Houas, president of Talan, Noomane Fehri, Farouk Kamoun, and Badreddine Ouali.
A Roadmap for 2030
The White Paper is structured around 5 key measures, broken down into 41 operational recommendations. These recommendations are organized around three pillars:
- Development of AI uses
- Digital infrastructure and data
- Governance and talent development
The authors aim to create the conditions necessary for a wider adoption of AI in the public and private sectors, while strengthening national capacities in research, innovation, and training. Beyond technical recommendations, the document sets a "measurable" objective: to enable Tunisia to integrate the top 50 of the Global Innovation Index by 2030, making artificial intelligence a lever for economic transformation and competitiveness.
The Challenge of Implementation
The challenge now lies in the implementation of this strategy. While Tunisia has recognized assets, including a significant pool of engineers and entrepreneurs, the success of this strategy will depend on the ability to federate public authorities, businesses, universities, and investors around a common vision. This is precisely the ambition displayed by TunisIA, which intends to make this White Paper the starting point for a collective approach rather than a fixed document.
