In a context shaped by continuously developing AI tools, a high-level discussion in Casablanca examined the future of human work: the role of AI agents and human competence in Morocco’s startups and small businesses.
On the 23rd of May, the inaugural session of the AI-Casablanca: Human Work in the AI Era conference gathered various economic players to address the worth of human dedicated input amidst the rise of AI deployment in the workplace.
This international conference was organized by Morocco Business Catalysts, an independent Moroccan organization to accelerating structuring economic, technological and entrepreneurial ecosystems for the Kingdom and the African continent
The event brought together the minister of Industry and Commerce Ryad Mezzour, entrepreneurs, international experts, public actors, startup founders and technological talents from several continents.
The minister’s intervention set the tone of the conference. He essentially claimed that AI will inevitably continue to grow, and that the most rational and pragmatic reaction is to use the technology as a tool to hone and polish human skills.
He pointed out that AI is developing at a remarkable pace. Within 10 years, it could potentially execute all tasks humans can do at work: manual, creative, and analytical. The minister acknowledged how grim the idea sounds, yet he used it as a reminder to elevate our innate and uniquely human skills to survive the
incoming AI invasion of the job market.
The President of the Council of the Casablanca-Settat Region, Abdellatif Maâzouz, held a similar stance. Specifically, he invited startups and small businesses in the region to implement AI, an approach the council has already adopted. He declared that AI had saved them considerable time when preparing the region’s programs.
During this conference, a panel of AI experts offered a more technical perspective to the debate. Among them, Dominique Lahaix introduced the following idea: an enterprise must balance skills and productivity with data and marketing intelligence. AI tools, he argued, strengthen both. More than that, AI restructures how enterprises function from the inside out, reshaping their business model.
The conference, at its core, highlighted how AI is a trending opportunity for startups and small businesses, though it will likely threaten many jobs. In short, the consensus was to find an equilibrium between the human qualities of workers, and the efficiency of AI tools.
S.Z
