Artificial Intelligence, Inclusive Productivity and Economic Transformation in Morocco: A Responsible Adoption Framework for Emerging Economies

Résumé

This article develops a critically grounded and operationally testable framework for analysing how artificial intelligence (AI) can contribute to inclusive productivity and economic transformation in Morocco. Responding to recent debates on the productivity paradox, algorithmic concentration, labour-market polarization and digital dependency, the paper argues that AI should not be understood as an autonomous productivity engine. Its developmental value depends on the interaction between adoption intensity, data readiness, human-capital formation, organizational absorptive capacity, sectoral diffusion and responsible governance. Using Morocco as a strategic middle-income case, the article integrates conceptual analysis with contextual evidence from national digital transformation priorities, recent AI policy announcements and international benchmarks. It clarifies the construct of inclusive productivity through measurable indicators covering firm upgrading, SME participation, employment quality, territorial equity and public-service performance. The contribution is threefold: first, it advances a balanced theoretical synthesis of AI as both a productivity opportunity and a source of socio-economic risk; second, it proposes a Morocco-specific adoption framework linking micro-level organizational capabilities to macro-level institutional conditions; third, it offers an empirical validation protocol and policy roadmap for responsible AI diffusion in emerging economies.