The Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat has participated in Microsoft’s AI summit “Egypt Pathway to A New Frontier.” The event was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) at the historic Abdeen Palace, in the presence of Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat, and the UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt Elena Panova.
In his address, Talaat emphasized that Egypt remains connected to the global progress in AI, highlighting a significant advancement of 46 spots on the Government AI Readiness Index over the last three years. He outlined plans to initiate a community dialogue regarding the second phase of the National AI Strategy within the ICT sector in the near future, aiming to leverage insights from experts and specialists. Talaat underscored the strategy’s pillars, which include expanding capacity-building initiatives in AI, developing AI-driven systems across diverse domains, and raising public awareness about this transformative technology.
The ICT Minister elaborated on Egypt’s national endeavors in AI, highlighting the establishment of the National Council for Artificial Intelligence in 2019, comprising diverse state agencies dedicated to this domain. He underscored the significance of Egypt’s first AI strategy, encompassing pivotal elements. Furthermore, he emphasized collaboration between MCIT and the Ministry of Higher Education to expand expertise in various AI specializations, nurturing talent in this burgeoning field. He highlighted the presence of numerous faculties and universities in Egypt specializing in AI, with the establishment of Egypt University of Informatics (EUI) dedicated to teaching AI sciences.
Talaat emphasized the establishment of the Applied Innovation Center (AIC), which seeks to develop solutions leveraging cutting-edge technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI to drive developmental, societal, and economic advancements across sectors such as agriculture and healthcare. He urged collaborative action among government entities, international and local companies, and civil society organizations to enhance public awareness regarding the significance and potential of AI. Additionally, he stressed the importance of delineating AI capabilities, limitations, and associated risks to foster informed discussions and decision-making within the community.
Moreover, Talaat highlighted the transformative impact of generative AI, underscoring its pivotal role in advancing AI capabilities. He emphasized the significance of not only introducing modern technologies but also adapting them to generate positive developmental outcomes for society.
For her part, Al-Mashat detailed the Ministry of International Cooperation’s launch of Hafiz Hub last December, designed to offer financial and technical support to the private sector. This pioneering Hub, powered by AI, serves as Egypt’s first government platform linking international development partners with the private sector. The introduction of Hafiz Hub aligns with the evolving landscape of AI technology and aims to bolster the Ministry’s efforts in facilitating effective private sector engagement in development initiatives.
Al-Mashat elucidated that the Hub functions to bridge information disparities between private sector entities and international development partners, providing insights into available financial and non-financial mechanisms and opportunities crucial for business growth and prosperity. She underscored the platform as a testament to AI potential in enhancing public service delivery. Additionally, she stressed the significance of multilateral international cooperation and the exchange of ideas and experiences among all stakeholders to foster a technologically-driven and innovative future.
During the summit, the ICT Minister witnessed the signing of an MoU between MCIT and Microsoft, focusing on collaboration to reengineer government digital services and platforms using AI. The objective is to bolster productivity and address societal challenges while fostering innovation and advancing strategic goals. The partnership also aims to promote responsible AI practices and governance, aligning with Egypt’s aspirations to lead in AI within the region, the Digital Egypt vision and the National AI Strategy.
The MoU was signed by the Deputy Minister for Infrastructure Raafat Hindy and Country Manager for Egypt at Microsoft Mirna Arif.
The MoU outlines several areas of cooperation, including AI governance and raising awareness among all segments of society regarding the responsible use of AI technologies. Additionally, collaboration will extend to leveraging Microsoft’s AI Skills Initiative in Egypt and supporting existing government training programs through relevant AI programs. Furthermore, there will be joint efforts to explore the utilization of Azure AI services in various government service applications.
The AI summit underscored how organizations nationwide are harnessing the transformative capabilities of AI to expedite innovation, enhance productivity, foster creativity, and deploy pioneering solutions to tackle key societal challenges. Furthermore, it emphasized the pivotal role of these modern innovations in accelerating Egypt’s digital transformation journey.
In her address, Arif reiterated Microsoft Egypt’s commitment to leveraging AI for fostering a prosperous digital future in Egypt. She emphasized Microsoft’s recognition of the immense potential inherent in AI technologies and their capacity to reshape our lives and reality. Arif highlighted the company’s dedication to developing AI innovations responsibly, aiming to empower individuals to enhance productivity, seize advancement opportunities, and find fulfillment in their work.
Furthermore, Arif affirmed Microsoft’s ongoing collaboration with MCIT and the Ministry of International Cooperation to provide access to cutting-edge AI innovations capitalizing on the company’s reliable cloud services. She emphasized Microsoft’s determination to equip individuals and organizations across all sectors with the necessary tools and resources to harness AI, develop bespoke solutions, drive innovation, and bolster Egypt’s digital economy growth.
During the summit, Egypt Post’s Chairperson Sherif Farouk participated in a panel discussion titled “Seizing the AI Moment: Unleashing Opportunities for Industries.” The session was joined by officials from the private and banking sectors.
At the summit, experts conducted a comprehensive review of the progress of AI technologies and their applications across various institutions within different industries. They explored how these technologies are utilized to extract and analyze valuable data, thereby unlocking the full potential of operational efficiency and effectiveness.
Microsoft showcased its AI-powered services, including the Microsoft Copilot chatbot, elucidating their role in empowering institutions across all sectors to devise innovative smart solutions to tackle significant business challenges and drive innovation forward.
The Summit saw the participation of esteemed figures including Deputy ICT Minister for Institutional Development Ghada Labib, CEO of the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) Ahmed Elzaher, Advisor to the ICT Minister for Technological Talents Hoda Baraka, Chairwoman of the Information Technology Institute (ITI) Heba Saleh, Director of the National Telecommunication Institute (NTI) Ahmed Khattab, along with officials from MCIT, government representatives, industry leaders, IT experts, developers, and representatives from start-ups.
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