The United States sees Egypt as a potential "first mover" in artificial intelligence and plans to invest "early and often" in expanding bilateral cooperation on digital technologies, Eric Gaudiosi, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, said.
Speaking to Business Today Egypt on the sidelines of the "From Silicon Valley to the Nile Valley" forum, Gaudiosi said AI represents the next frontier in the U.S.-Egypt partnership, extending cooperation beyond governments to the private sector.
"We see Egypt as a very natural partner, as a market and potentially as a first mover moving forward in this field," he said. "This is going to be not just a reality, but really a driving force for coming generations. We want to invest in that and invest in each other early and often."
Gaudiosi said the United States sees strong complementarity between the two countries, citing American technological expertise and Egypt's strategic position, growing digital economy, and expanding technology market.
Commenting on Egypt's role in global connectivity, he noted that roughly 80% of internet traffic between Europe and Asia passes through submarine cables crossing Egypt, reinforcing the country's strategic importance as a regional and global digital hub.
"I think it reinforces what we have long realized as the vital importance of Egypt in the region and beyond," he said, adding that Egypt's geographic location, commercial importance, and skilled workforce position it as "a vital place to do business."
Asked whether Egypt should pursue greater value-added investments around its digital infrastructure rather than relying primarily on cable transit revenues, Gaudiosi said AI-related investments should be viewed as long-term strategic assets.
"AI is already a reality. It's only going to become an increasing part of all fields of endeavor," he said. "In the long term, these projects are investments that will be beneficial, profitable, and mutual."
His remarks came during the U.S. Embassy's "From Silicon Valley to the Nile Valley" forum, which brought together Egyptian and American government officials, technology companies, and industry leaders to explore opportunities for cooperation in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, digital infrastructure, and innovation.
Eric Gaudiosi Deputy Chief of Mission
