Egypt will launch the second edition of its National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy at the beginning of 2025, announced Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Amr Talaat, during the AI and Digital Transformation summit.

The updated strategy aims to expand the integration of AI technologies to address societal challenges, enhance training programs for specialized talent, and bolster computational infrastructure for government and private entities, including startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Talaat emphasized the importance of data governance, striking a balance between data accessibility and privacy protection, to maximize AI's benefits while mitigating its risks.

Speaking at the summit, Talaat highlighted the transformative potential of AI, noting that it is no longer confined to IT professionals but has become a focal point across industries worldwide. He remarked that AI is not a new science, but the computational power available today has transformed theoretical algorithms into tangible innovations.

He also acknowledged the rapid adoption of generative AI technologies, pointing to the milestone of 100 million users in just one week, compared to the decades it took technologies like television and personal computers to reach similar levels.

The Minister underscored AI’s dual impact, citing its ability to drive comprehensive transformation while also raising critical challenges such as data neutrality, job displacement, and the evolving skills required in the labor market.

Egypt has made significant strides in embracing AI, spearheaded by the establishment of the National AI Council in 2019, which developed the country's first AI strategy. This strategy focused on raising public awareness of AI capabilities, training specialized talent, and leveraging AI to tackle societal challenges.

Efforts to enhance AI adoption have included the creation of the Applied Innovation Center, established by the Ministry of Communications and IT for applied research and development, creating AI-based solutions in health, agriculture, and water resource management.

Collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education has led to the establishment of AI faculties and programs across universities. These initiatives have contributed to Egypt improving its position on the global AI readiness index by 50 places in the past five years.

Teradata’s Senior Vice President for Emerging Markets praised Egypt’s growing AI ecosystem and expressed interest in expanding the company’s operations there, citing its pool of young technical talent in AI and data analytics.