The Executive Council of the African Union (AU) officially endorsed the Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy in July 2024, aimed at promoting artificial intelligence (AI) adoption among member states. In parallel, Ethiopia has made substantial strides with the establishment of the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute (EAII) five years earlier, leading the transformation of AI integration in both the public and private sectors. Additionally, Ethiopia implemented a National AI policy in June 2024 to achieve the nation’s digital strategy by 2025 and to position Ethiopia as a center of AI development excellence in Africa by 2035.
Ethiopia’s AI policy is in alignment with the objectives of the AU’s strategy in numerous ways. Key areas of focus for both Ethiopia and the AU include: prioritizing infrastructure development, such as building data and research centers; focusing on capacity building by expanding high-quality AI technology education and human resource development to generate challenge-driven AI solutions; and setting up legal frameworks to regulate potential AI-related legal violations to promote ethical AI.
Continuous alignment and collaboration between national and continental efforts is crucial to ensure the effective development and deployment of AI throughout Africa. Ethiopia not only stands to benefit from the AU’s strategy but also has the potential to lead the way in its progression.
