Algeria’s Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Start-ups, and Micro-enterprises is working to develop artificial intelligence models tailored to the country’s cultural and social specificities, Minister Noureddine Ouadah said Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a working visit to the Wilaya of Médéa, Ouadah said the growing importance of AI across sectors had prompted the ministry to develop models that respect Algerian traditions, culture and societal values. “AI now occupies an important place in several sectors, including the economy and regional security, a fact that necessitates the training of young people and empowering them to understand it with awareness,” he said.

Ouadah said the ministry is working with experts to build AI models suited to the nature and needs of Algerian society, without providing further details on the timeline or technical scope of the effort.

The minister also addressed broader youth entrepreneurship initiatives during the visit, assuring students at Yahia Farès University in Médéa that state support for start-ups and micro-enterprises is open to anyone capable of bringing added value to the local and national economy. He exchanged views with students on the challenges facing project holders and outlined the various forms of state support available to them.

Ouadah emphasized the university’s role as a driver of economic development, describing it as a source of knowledge, technology and human capital capable of generating momentum through innovation, start-up creation and micro-enterprise development.

During the visit, the minister also inspected several projects that have benefited from state funding, including a micro-enterprise specializing in application programming and network installation in Berrouaghia and another focused on the industrial production of concrete products in Zoubiria.