The Addis Ababa Institute of Technology conducted a seminar on the development of an artificial ecosystem in Ethiopia. The seminar included presentations on infrastructure and resources, talent development and education, regulatory framework, and ethical considerations.

Engineer Worku Gachena, Director General of the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute (EAII), in his keynote address on “The Current State of Artificial Intelligence Research, Development and Adoption in Ethiopia” said, “The prospective uses of smart city technologies currently in Ethiopia are quite promising and might significantly alter city living. He further said “computer vision and artificial intelligence technologies improve smart cities, leading to higher levels of economic value, safety, efficiency, and production.”

For his part, Bikila Teklu (PhD), Chief Executive Director of AAiT, in his welcoming address mentioned that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can understand conversational language, solve problems, make decisions, and learn from unstructured data.

In his presentation titled Regulatory Framework and Ethical Considerations, Adane Letta (PhD), from AAiT, said policymakers recognize the need for a comprehensive regulatory framework apparatus capable of harnessing the potential of AI, navigating the intricate terrain of AI’s ethical implications, and mitigating its associated risks.

Speaking on policy issues, Dr. Taye Girma, from EAII, noted that to achieve national AI targets with appropriate budgets, deadlines, and key performance indicators, AI stakeholders can benefit from the policy and strategy by designing and developing action-oriented strategies that are consistent with national strategies.

The seminar on the rapidly evolving field of AI with the potential to transform the nation significantly provided the attendees with an important platform to share ideas and perspectives and explore the potential opportunities in Ethiopia that may make it the AI powerhouse of Africa.