Morocco’s Wakil wants AI to spot hidden flaws in used cars 🚗

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After selling his first startup to an American giant, Moroccan entrepreneur Abou Laraki is back with a new venture: Wakil, an app that uses artificial intelligence to assess the condition of a used car from nothing more than photos taken on a smartphone.

From Monk to Wakil, a second chapter 🚗

In 2019, Abou Laraki co-founded Monk, a startup specializing in automated damage detection for vehicles, before it was reportedly acquired in February 2022 by US-based, Nasdaq-listed ACV Auctions. Building on that first success, the Moroccan entrepreneur — whose professional profile points to a background in engineering and applied mathematics, along with ties to École Polytechnique — is now taking on a project aimed directly at everyday consumers.

Spotting hidden flaws at a glance 📸

Wakil borrows the computer-vision logic that made Monk’s reputation, but adapts it for individual buyers. Simply point your smartphone at a vehicle, and the AI identifies the model and flags visual defects that are often invisible to the naked eye: scratches, rust spots, or repainted panels.

A price estimate and a personalized checklist 💶

Beyond the visual diagnosis, the app offers a value estimate based on the local market — available in both France and Morocco — along with a tailored inspection checklist and a conversational assistant. The stated goal is clear: to let a non-expert buyer negotiate a used-car purchase with the same instincts as a professional.

What do you think — can this kind of consumer tool genuinely rebalance the power dynamic between buyers and sellers in the used-car market? Let us know in the comments.