International governance of AI & the recommended perspective for Morocco “the multiplication of actors & the diversification of collaboration”

1- The private sector as a new global partner

1-1-The cooperative potentials of technology firms and AI

Private companies, especially those at the forefront of AI, are also invited to collaborate and cooperate for good governance and regulation of AI. Morocco, in this regard, is supposed to find the necessary and relevant legal frameworks for cooperation and collaboration with these entities. Leading companies in technology in general, and in AI technology specifically, demonstrate a better experience not only in technical progress but also in technological innovation. Nevertheless, they leverage their R&D capabilities and their groups of prestigious scientists to also conduct relevant studies and notable directions in the field of AI governance (Bahoo et al., 2023).

These entities are currently participating in these processes in collaboration with certain states and reflect a notable level in this regard, especially in the area of consultation and legal support (Aldoseri et al., 2023). These companies assist states in certain situations to enhance participation and access to essential technologies, as well as their positioning in the international debate surrounding governance and regulation in the technology sectors and the harmonization of technological advancements globally with domestic legal frameworks (Parliamentarians for Global Action, 2024). Facebook, X, Google, etc., as highly reputable tech firms, have been engaging in similar processes for some time, leveraging their potential to develop specific relationships with states and other entities—also non-state actors—outside the traditional frameworks of international law (Zhang & Li, 2023). These tech giants have their own processes in cyber diplomacy and are increasingly contributing to global debates on the governance of the tech sector, having successfully developed their own techno-logical governance initiatives (Bremmer, 2024).

Morocco should invest its potential in its favor and develop close relationships with these private sector players to benefit from their expertise in refining its work on AI governance or in the field of technology in general. He should also take into ac-count the power of these private entities, especially diplomatically, and how they can, in certain circumstances, tilt the situation in their favor. Shouldn’t the country focus its cooperation processes solely on these private entities? On the contrary, there is a range of opportunities to explore in order to finally serve the interests of the nation.

1-2- The think thanks, as partners for a tech public policy

Think thanks or prestigious research centers that take advantage of their potential to recruit international researchers can conduct cutting-edge research on any cause. These think tanks have now become essential partners in the production and invention of public policies in various fields and help states to better understand and ad-dress contemporary issues that challenge human life. They can also support development and growth efforts in certain regions of the world through the effectiveness and quality of the studies they conduct, which in these cases inform and guide public policies and the overall strategies of certain states (Yamamoto, 2008). 

Building on the experiences and contributions of these organizations and their partnership expertise with state actors and international organizations at the global level, particularly in security governance, environmental issues, health, etc., we can leverage this expertise and redirect their efforts towards collaborations and contributions for the development of a national AI governance strategy. So, it is necessary to strengthen partnerships with these stakeholders and to benefit from their studies and research, especially those who specialized in technological governance studies (McDonald et al., 2020)

1-3- Other specific initiatives to encourage

The global political system currently contains a multitude of significant actors and entities at the level of international relations. On the other hand, while these actors in discussion do not yet hold an official status in international law as key players in international relations, they increasingly serve as a counterbalance that influences and shapes the international landscape around various causes and issues. If international firms are an essential part of this range of actors that influence international relations, international politics, and diplomacy, civil society and individuals are also factors to consider (Scholte, 2002).

 1-4- The Civil Society

 The proposals from civil society in the field of international governance are valuable, and their recommendations and consultations often form the basis for the official decisions of the international community regarding a phenomenon or issue under study. The fact that these organizations can also be affected by the potential negatives of AI, they take advantage of their networks and their closeness to scientific communities to escape this situation and to conduct prestigious studies and contributions on all the issues that complicate international cycle (United Nations Report, 2023).

The consideration of the new situation of these entities at the level of international relations, promote dialogue and openness with various other actors, and they can, depending on their expertise especially their experiences in conflict and war zones, the monitoring of state practices and policies directly related to individuals and their private lives (Narayan & Chaney, 2024), and finally their contributions in the practices of contesting and reserving AI governance practices at the international level that appear illegal, unjust, and do not serve equality (Beth, 2023). 

This recommendation is not intended to centralize the country’s vision around unique relationships with foreign or international organizations. From now on, on the contrary, to give a new impetus to efforts aimed at developing capacities for relations and collaboration, according to an interactional paradigm that combines foreign expertise with internal organizations, basing governance concepts on the specificities and values of the nation.

 1-5- The Individuals

 The individual also holds an important place in international debates surrounding issues and causes that concern the international community, and the influence that individuals currently have is immense due to the potential of technologies (Jungherr, 2023). These individuals can currently influence opinions or even official positions on an internal or international cause, and they can also play a very important role in raising awareness and developing public consciousness regarding the drawbacks of AI and the need for regulations and jurisdictions surrounding it (Domin, 2024). The individuals we see who can make a difference are influencers whom we believe can easily help raise societal awareness and promote understanding of the issues and challenges of AI at the local level. The influencers in question can also serve by leveraging their societal position, the governmental efforts aimed at regulating and governing a field that continuously generates unforeseen impacts on modern societies. In the same vein, these individuals can leverage their network of relationships to launch awareness campaigns around the safe and confident use of AI technologies (Kort et al., 2016).

In addition to the above, Morocco can leverage these influencers to help clarify its AI governance paradigm for citizens and all other concerned entities. Thеsе privаtе аϲtοrѕ саո hеlp thе Stаtе сοոsоliԁаtе іts vіѕіοո thrοսɡh еvеntѕ οrցаոіzеԁ оոliոе οr iո реrsοn, whісh ϲаn prоvіԁе bеttеr орpοrtսոitіеs tο prоmоtе thіs оffіϲіаl vіsiоn οf АІ ցοvеrոаոсе. Thiѕ саո bе аϲhiеvеd by еոցаցiոց thеsе іոdіvіԁսаls іn sресіfiс аdvοсаϲy рrоɡrаms, οrցаnіzinց sսmmits аnԁ ϲоllοqսіа, оr οthеr fοrmѕ оf ϲοmmսոісаtіοո tо ԁеfеnd thе οffіϲіаl vіѕіοո οf ΑI ɡοvеrnаոϲе. To consolidate this vision, we recommend that Moroccan decision-makers and authorities provide these influential individual actors with the means and tools necessary to organize conferences, summits, or similar communication activities to advocate for Morocco’s position and the governance of AI in general. We believe that this kind of cooperation strengthens trust and transparency within Moroccan society regarding the adopted measures and also reinforces the position of the Moroccan vision at the local and regional levels. The role of individuals in this debate is no longer limited to awareness-raising activities; they can also serve as a force for suggestion and recommendation by referring to the need to incorporate individual concerns such as ethical requirements, human rights, and freedoms (Srivastava, 2024).

• A Biref Conclusion

States should change their paradigm regarding their interpretations and management of technological challenges, especially those related to AI. Morocco, as part of the international inter-state community, should also rethink its traditional approaches by promising openness, inclusivity, and adaptability to better address emerging questions in AI governance. This includes the redefinition of national strategies and the revision of public policies in various sectors and fields in order to limit the potential risks of this technology and to benefit as much as possible from its development and growth potentials.

To achieve this objective, Morocco must overcome the situation of fragmentation in the international system concerning several causes, especially the causes of regulation and governance of technologies. This weakness in the institutionalization of debates and initiatives to strengthen responsibility, transparency, and trust generates more risks and disadvantages and weakens the international system. This situation strengthens the position of malice and gives criminals the opportunity to further exploit the potentials of AI to achieve their criminal objectives, intensify the cyber threat, and promote social instability. To maintain trust in the economic system and strengthen the stability of the social order, and to enforce respect for rights and internal regulations, including the frameworks that organize society, Morocco must base its actions to achieve the intended objectives for framing AI on a mixed and open model that takes into account global expertise and different interstate interactions, even beyond UN initiatives, in order to establish a governance model that adapts to national requirements and realities.

As part of the partnership with the private sector, Morocco should strengthen its vision by fortifying the legal and operational frameworks that facilitate cooperation outside traditional frameworks with the main actors of the international system, giving more importance to technology companies as significant players. Private sector actors should not be solely business-oriented; we hope to engage companies that also operate in research and governance and the use of AI. The examples to consolidate our opinion are numerous and can serve as examples of expertise in collaborative innovation, such as agreements with the world’s tech giants in the field of AI. This kind of cooperation will help Morocco develop a specific paradigm based on expertise and knowledge, which will allow the country to easily integrate into international efforts regarding AI governance and its secure uses. However, it is necessary to take into consideration the specific interests and profiles of these private entities that we seek to introduce into this process, which Moroccan decision-makers should be alarmed and aware of. We are trying, through this last idea, not only to alarm the decision-makers but also to make their collaborations public and, more precisely, transparent and aligned with local and national objectives and specificities.

In addition to private companies, research centers and academic institutes should be at the forefront of Morocco’s concerns in order to benefit from their academic and scientific legacies in the field of AI governance. These global and local think tanks hold a very important intellectual capital that we should exploit in the form of collaborative scientific and academic projects addressing the questions we seek to answer. In this regard, centers and institutes that are well-known on the international stage or guided by recognized experts and professionals should be specifically targeted due to their successes and participation in the development of planning and public and strategic policies for certain states and in sensitive areas. By leveraging their R&D expertise, the entities in discussion can bring immense advantages to Moroccan AI governance design. However, Moroccan decision-makers should not concentrate all their efforts on foreign centers and should give more opportunities to local initiatives that also meet national requirements, avoiding dependence on these foreign institutions despite their unparalleled expertise on global issues and questions.

We also concluded that Morocco should give priority to civil society and organizations that gather and represent citizens to contribute to discussions related to AI and its societal dimension. The presence of these groups can ensure that the processes adopted during negotiations with foreign actors are aligned with the requirements and specificities of Moroccan society, such as ethical, cultural, or moral values, etc. In addition to considering them as partners, Morocco should give a respectful position to these organizations due to their roles in raising awareness and developing public policies related to the risks of AI within society. Strengthening the dialogue between these entities and the Moroccan government, Morocco can gain several advantages in favor of enhancing the alignment of citizen engagement with the planned initiatives in the field of AI.

In this sense, it should be added that the involvement of influential individuals who no longer have a relationship with the groups we discussed. But, they practice direct appeasements on their societies. The role of these influential individuals is also becoming globally recognized due to their contributions to shaping public opinion and their influences against official policies related to such societal issues. In this regard, Morocco will benefit if it succeeds in engaging these influential individuals to promote a policy, mobilize support for such a decision, or explain a strategy for the use and activities of AI. This vision that we recommend, in which actors of different natures must participate to consolidate Morocco’s vision in the field of AI governance, will undoubtedly promote a culture of accountability, innovation, and respect for internal rules and regulations.

After presenting our approach regarding the cooperation and collaboration that we hope Morocco will adopt to meet the requirements of AI use and governance, we add that this trajectory is not perfect and in turn adds challenges and issues concerning the responsibility and obligation of these entities before the law and the likelihood of conflicts of interest. Private companies prioritize economic and financial interests and profiles, think tanks can deviate from scientific and academic objectivity for various reasons, and individuals can ultimately be influenced by opposing views and miss the common goal of establishing robust AI governance structures. In this regard, Morocco should finally consider how to limit these influences and ensure the independence of decisions, ethical requirements, and national interest.

In this aspect of attention and caution to go beyond the limits of our approach, Morocco should finally take into consideration the geopolitical and strategic realities surrounding these partnerships, as partnerships within regional organizations (the Arab Maghreb Union and the Arab League) remain slow and limited and lack coherence with national objectives and interests. Finally, we highlight our directives that Morocco should follow to achieve a favorable positioning in the debates related to AI governance, going beyond regional alliances and traditional partnerships, and giving priority to diverse collaborations with technologically advanced nations, specialized state and non-state organizations, private sectors, and individuals to give a specific impetus to Morocco’s participation in AI governance arenas.

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