Ahmad Abdel Rahman looks at the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in Egypt’s ecosystem. 

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's directive in late August to develop "clear and executable strategies" for implementing artificial intelligence (AI) raised questions about Egypt's readiness to adopt these plans, the major challenges it may face, and the potential opportunities to benefit from them.

The Egyptian president's directive came during a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Minister of Communications Amr Talaat, during which he affirmed "the state's full support for the ICT sector." El-Sisi also emphasised the importance of launching initiatives and establishing specialised centres  for the ICT sector, which includes AI, to prepare qualified personnel, while maintaining complete objectivity in selecting the best personnel and providing them with high-level training. 

Regarding the application of AI, El-Sisi emphasised the need to focus on research, development, and training, and to ensure the optimal use of available resources and to maximise their benefits.

Egypt is witnessing an expansion in AI applications across various sectors. AI is being used to develop smart government services, improve education systems through digital platforms, and support the health sector by diagnosing diseases and tracking medical data more accurately.

Egypt's journey with artificial intelligence

Egypt took its first practical steps to leverage AI applications in 2019, coinciding with the establishment of the National Council for Artificial Intelligence. The goal was to develop and govern the national AI strategy through coordination among relevant entities to develop a unified strategy that reflects the government's priorities.

The first version of Egypt's AI strategy was subsequently launched in May 2021, before being updated with the launch of the second version early this year. At the time, the Egyptian President expressed his hope that "these technologies will bring about a qualitative transformation in key sectors such as health, education, and agriculture, ensuring an improved standard of living".

Primarily, the strategy aims to support efforts to build a digital Egypt, achieve social and economic development, and enhance Egypt's position in the field of AI in Africa and the Arab region.

The second version of the strategy includes six main action areas, including the governance area, which focuses on ensuring the ethical and responsible use of technologies. There is also the technology area, which aims to improve quality of life and sector efficiency through the development of advanced AI applications such as deep learning.

The strategy also includes a data focus, which focuses on providing high-quality data in terms of accuracy, completeness, and representativeness, ensuring accessibility and sharing to support the development of smart models and algorithms.

The Egyptian government intends to expand the use of AI technologies in infrastructure and smart transportation projects, and enhance cybersecurity capabilities. This is in addition to developing innovative solutions in the fields of agriculture, energy, and smart city management.

Preparing a new law

This comes as Ahmed Badawi, head of the Egyptian Parliament's Communications Committee, revealed that the government is moving forward with preparing a new draft law on artificial intelligence. This law primarily focuses on supporting significant investments in this vital sector, while combating its negative aspects in all their forms and manifestations.

Badawi explained that approximately 70 percent of the draft law's provisions have been completed, which aligns with technological developments and defines areas of use. He noted that this anticipated law would penalize various AI crimes, such as impersonation and content theft. 

Badawi emphasised that the draft law supports the use of AI in service sectors such as the health sector, especially since there are executive sectors ready to use it to develop their fields of work, in accordance with laws both within and outside Egypt.

Important steps

IT expert Mohamed Al-Harthi said that Egypt is strongly qualified to employ human resources in advanced technology fields. He considered the move toward relying on local technologies, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, to be a crucial step.

Al-Harthi explained that addressing the challenges associated with  legislation and the regulatory charter for the use and development of AI technologies, along with protecting digital property rights, are essential elements for the success of this process.

Al-Harthi considered the Egyptian president's interest in technological developments to be a constant incentive for national companies, especially since countries that rely on their local technologies have a solid foundation for economic independence and maximizing investments in the digital economy.

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