In collaboration with the General Secretariat of the Government and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, the Rule of Law Program for the Middle East and North Africa organized a two-day study event on February 13 and 14 at the Tour Hassan Palace Hotel in Rabat under the theme "Artificial Intelligence and Law."
During the opening speeches, Bensalem Belkourati, Director General of Legislation, Consultations, and Legal Studies, addressed aspects such as the security and sustainability of artificial intelligence. Philipp Bremer, Director of the Rule of Law Program for the Middle East and North Africa at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, emphasized the need for society to engage with the mechanisms and impacts of artificial intelligence. H.E. Robert Dölger, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Morocco, opened the debate by discussing the legal aspects of AI and stating that a potential AI-driven jurisprudence could have significant consequences in the future.
After this initial perspective on the various topics related to AI, philosophical, ethical, legal, and administrative questions were explored in more depth during the conference. Fatima Roumate, Associate Professor of International Economic Law at FSJES-Agdal, described the different historical phases of AI development and explained that AI learns from descriptions of human experiences and is therefore directly linked to humans. Lajla Fetic, Senior AI Expert at the institute "AppliedAI for Europe," presented a critical perspective on the concept and mechanisms of AI. On the one hand, AI is not artificial because it is created by humans, and on the other hand, the concept of intelligence itself is intrinsically exclusive and also carries a racist foundation. Finally, guidelines must be established for algorithms, as they are not neutral and are often discriminatory.
Prof. Dr. Bernd Holznagel, Emeritus Professor of Constitutional and Administrative Law at the University of Münster, addressed the current legal situation of artificial intelligence in Germany in his presentation. He discussed the digitization process within the German administration and explained various legal concepts related to the use of AI in this context. Other perspectives on AI use in German administration were presented by Eric Blum, Project Officer in the AI Project Group at the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Communities. Mouhssine Rifai complemented the discussion with a Moroccan perspective on the link between AI, employment, and labor market transformation. Lajla Fetic responded to a question about training administrative staff in AI by stating that practical training in management application transformation is crucial.
To conclude the conference, Philipp Bremer provided participants with some reflections on how to approach artificial intelligence. What will be the power of AI in the future, and where should boundaries be set? He also highlighted the challenge for all stakeholders to stay up to date and keep pace with current developments. It is urgent to raise awareness of AI-related issues, given its lack of neutrality, and to effectively structure this field.
