Tunisia’s artificial intelligence ecosystem is expanding beyond universities and research centres, with AI increasingly becoming part of the country’s digital economy.
According to official figures cited in the report, 211 of Tunisia’s 1,043 startups use AI in their products or services, representing nearly 23% of the ecosystem. The figure includes companies integrating AI into existing operations, rather than only those developing the technology.
A separate study identified 207 African startups specialised in AI across 17 countries. Tunisia ranked sixth with 11 companies, alongside Egypt and behind Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Ghana.
Tunisia began laying the foundations for a national AI strategy in 2018, focusing on data, research, innovation and technology adoption. Companies across finance, healthcare, agriculture and manufacturing are now exploring applications including document processing, fraud detection, medical image analysis, crop monitoring, industrial inspection and predictive maintenance.
The country’s engineering, computer science, mathematics and research talent is seen as a key advantage, with some Tunisian-founded projects reaching international markets. However, further growth will depend on issues including data protection, cybersecurity, regulation and the ability to turn national digital policies into new companies and commercial opportunities.
Source: Le Maghreb
