Marrakech, Morocco – [21/01/2025] – Under the enlightened leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, the Dar Gnawa Museum has unveiled Kouyou, a groundbreaking AI-powered cultural assistant entirely developed in Morocco. Aligned with the national Digital Morocco 2030 strategy, this initiative sets a new standard for ethical AI in Africa while safeguarding the UNESCO-listed Gnawa intangible heritage.
Strategic Alignment: Culture as a Pillar of Progress
Kouyou embodies Morocco’s dual ambition to become a regional tech leader and a guardian of African identity. Developed with Gnawa Maâlems and AI experts, it offers :
- Inclusive Access : Democratizes Gnawa rituals, poetry, and history through adaptive storytelling.
- Educational Innovation : Integrates cultural heritage into digital learning frameworks for schools.
- South-South Collaboration : Lays the groundwork for pan-African knowledge-sharing in line with the African Union’s 2063 Agenda.
Made in Morocco: A Linguistic and Cultural Masterpiece
Kouyou’s core innovation lies in its multilingual Natural Language Processing (NLP) system, trained on a unique dataset including :
- Historical manuscripts.
- Transcriptions of the Lila ceremonies.
- Oral testimonies from Gnawa communities.
This technology captures the spiritual lexicon and regional linguistic nuances, bridging ancient traditions with modern communication.
Future Roadmap: From Local Roots to Continental Leadership
- 2024-2026 : Expand Kouyou to preserve Ahwach (Atlas), Al-Malhoun (Andalusian), and Al-Hassania (Sahara), partnering with IRCAM and the Ministry of Culture.
- 2026-2030 : Forge alliances with Mali (Mande griots) and Senegal (Wolof oral historians) to create an AI-powered pan-African music preservation network.
- 2030+ : Launch “AfriSound”, a continent-wide digital archive co-funded by the African Development Bank, offering open access to 100,000+ traditional works.
Kouyou is more than technology, it’s cultural sovereignty in action. Inspired by HM King Mohammed VI’s vision, we’re proving that innovation can protect Africa’s soul. says Mr. ELASRI Oussama, Deputy Director of Dar Gnawa.
