Moroccan Telecoms Agree to Joint 5G Rollout

RABAT - In a significant move for the telecommunications sector in Morocco, Maroc Telecom and Inwi have announced a joint investment to deploy a 5G network across the country. The agreement, pending approval from the telecommunications regulator ANRT, involves the two operators equally establishing two joint ventures responsible for deploying the 5G optic fiber and towers. The initial investment is set at 4.4 billion dirhams ($460 million) over the next three years.

This collaboration also resolves a legal dispute between the two companies. Maroc Telecom will pay Inwi 4.38 billion dirhams, replacing a previous court order that required a payment of 6.38 billion dirhams for violating fair competition rules. In return, both operators will abandon legal appeals.

Maroc Telecom is 53% controlled by the UAE's Etisalat, with the Moroccan state owning 22%. Inwi is owned by Moroccan investment fund Al Mada. The Moroccan government aims to have 5G benefit 25% of the population by 2026 and 70% by 2030, coinciding with the year Morocco will co-host the World Cup with Spain and Portugal.

India Emerges as a Global Hub for AI Talent

India is rapidly becoming a global hotspot for AI talent, with demand expected to more than double from 600,000 in 2022 to over 1,250,000 by 2027, according to global HR company Deel. Countries like the US, the UK, Singapore, Sweden, Germany, and Canada are increasingly tapping into India's remote talent pool for full-time, contractual, and freelance roles, attracted by cost-effectiveness and a large talent pool.

Deel's survey indicates that 69% of global businesses already employ individuals outside India, with startups driving this trend at 88%. The USA, in particular, saw a 135% year-on-year growth in hiring from India in 2024. Bangalore is now the fourth most hired-from city in the Asia-Pacific region.

Sumit Sabharwal, country leader for India at Deel, noted that India's robust startup ecosystem plays a crucial role in this hiring boom. AI startups with strong talent are securing large early-stage valuations, as venture capitalists prioritize future potential over immediate profitability.

Recruitment tech firm Supersourcing reports working with 35 AI startups and companies to fill positions on a recurring basis. Germany, the US, and Singapore have increased remote hiring from India by 50%, allowing companies to retain top talent at nearly half the local cost, according to Mayank Pratap Singh, co-founder of Supersourcing.

AI researchers and data scientists with expertise in computer vision, machine learning, natural language processing, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and model training are highly sought after. Junior-level positions like prompt engineers, AI artists, and video editors are also in demand. The rise of AI ethics has led to the emergence of AI ethicists as consultants.

Remote employees from India are earning double the median pay compared to local roles, with Deel reporting an annualized compensation of $25,000 for remote workers versus $13,000 for non-remote workers. Employer of Record (EOR) services facilitate this trend by enabling businesses to hire globally without establishing multiple local entities.

Remote-working platforms like Upwork, Appen, and Fiverr are witnessing a surge in demand for AI-skilled workers, with Indians among the top-tier professionals opting for gig-based projects that offer significant returns. Ted Liu, an economics research manager at Upwork, stated that independent professionals on Upwork, including those in India, often earn significantly more than local skilled labor averages.

Eric de Cavaignac, chief transformation officer at Appen, emphasized India's advantage in providing a large, high-quality talent pool at a competitive cost. This is particularly beneficial for projects requiring vast amounts of data delivered quickly.