AI regulation in Tunisia: laws & policy (2026)
AI in Tunisia: guidelines only.
Tunisia has no dedicated AI law in force. Its primary AI governance instrument is a non-binding national AI strategy and roadmap (2021-2025) that sets objectives for infrastructure, skills, and ethics, aligned with OECD AI Principles and the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI. Data-related AI governance falls under the 2004 personal data protection law (Law 2004-63) supervised by the INPDP, while a draft organic law to modernise that framework, introducing automated decision-making rules, profiling rights, and DPIAs, was approved by the Ministerial Council and was before parliament as of early 2026.
Legal framework
National AI Strategy and Roadmap (2021-2025); Organic Law No. 2004-63 on Personal Data Protection administered by INPDP; draft Organic Law on Personal Data Protection (2025, under parliamentary review)
Key points: artificial intelligence in Tunisia
National AI Roadmap (2021-2025)
Tunisia's Ministry of Communication Technologies led a national AI strategy and roadmap covering skills development, cloud/HPC infrastructure, open-data policy, and pilot projects across health, agriculture, and education. The strategy references OECD AI Principles and the UNESCO AI Ethics Recommendation as foundational pillars.
No dedicated AI law in force
As of 2026, Tunisia has no specific, binding legislation governing AI systems. A December 2025 UNESCO study on AI in Tunisia documented a lag in AI-specific legislation relative to international standards, with no sector-specific AI rules in effect.
Existing data-protection law covers AI processing
Organic Law No. 2004-63 on the Protection of Personal Data is the main instrument for AI systems handling personal data. It is enforced by the INPDP (Instance Nationale de Protection des Données Personnelles), which can investigate, issue orders, and refer violations to courts.
Draft Organic Law on Personal Data (2025), AI-relevant reform
A new draft organic law on personal data protection, approved by the Ministerial Council and tabled in parliament, would modernise the 2004 framework by introducing automated decision-making rights, profiling rules, mandatory Data Protection Impact Assessments for high-risk AI, and reinforced INPDP sanctioning powers. Parliamentary deliberations were ongoing in early 2026.
AI in public-sector deployment without binding rules
Tunisian customs integrated AI into risk-control systems (May 2026), and a $51 million AI and drones programme for civil protection was announced, but these deployments proceed without an overarching public-sector AI accountability framework.
International alignment and next strategy cycle
Tunisia is a participant in OECD.AI's Policy Observatory and has referenced both the OECD AI Principles and the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI in its strategy. Work on a successor strategy framework for 2026-2030 was referenced in government planning documents as of late 2025.
Sources
- oecd.ai/en/dashboards/policy-initiatives/tunisia-ai-roadmap-1825
- oecd.ai/en/dashboards/national/tunisia
- inpdp.tn/
- dlapiperdataprotection.com/?t=law&c=TN
- thd.tn/le-projet-de-loi-sur-la-protection-des-donnees-personnelles-approuve-
- businessnews.com.tn/2026/02/27/donnees-personnelles-le-parlement-se-penche-sur-la-moderni
- lapresse.tn/2025/12/01/donnees-personnelles-et-acces-a-linformation-lexecutif-eng
- webmanagercenter.com/2025/12/10/557608/tunisie-vers-une-mise-a-jour-des-legislations-sur-l
- directinfo.webmanagercenter.com/2026/05/16/douanes-tunisiennes-lintelligence-artificielle-integree-au
- ecofinagency.com/news-digital/2708-48183-tunisia-plans-51-million-ai-and-drones-progra
- aipolicy.africa/national-strategies/bb3c8413-e77a-4427-aa5d-568942454c6b
Next for Tunisia: Data & PrivacyComprehensive law
Next topicOrientation, not legal advice: verify against the primary sources linked above. Last verified 24 May 2026. Methodology & how to cite · State of Technology Regulation 2026