Cairo, Egypt – May 6, 2024 – A powerful collaboration between Egypt and Italy promises to propel Africa to the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) development.
The partnership, announced after a meeting between Egyptian Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat and Italian Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso, will establish a major AI center in Cairo.
This strategic initiative goes beyond just building a research hub. The center will focus on fostering AI innovation across Africa, providing crucial training and support to other nations on the continent.
This focus on knowledge sharing positions Egypt as a leader in AI development within Africa, with the potential to empower the entire continent’s technological advancement.
Why a strategic alliance between Egypt and Italy?
This partnership leverages the unique strengths of both countries. Egypt’s geographic location and robust infrastructure make it the ideal home for the AI center. As a major data hub, Egypt boasts a critical position of:
- Nearly 90% of data cables connecting East and West travel through Egypt.
- Around 17% of the world’s internet traffic passes through the Gulf of Suez near Egypt.
Minister Talaat emphasized this strategic advantage, highlighting Egypt’s role as a “data bridge” between East and West.
This unique position makes Cairo the perfect hub for the AI center, allowing it to serve as a central point for information exchange and collaboration across continents.
Italy, for its part, brings established expertise in AI and digital technologies. As Minister Urso pointed out, Italy’s recent AI Centre for Sustainable Development project, approved during the G7 meetings, exemplifies their leadership in the field.
This partnership allows Italy to become a key player in the burgeoning African AI market, gaining a foothold through collaboration with Egypt.
Mutual Benefits
The creation of this AI center presents a win-win situation for both countries. Egypt gains a leading role in AI development within Africa, while Italy establishes itself as a major player in the African AI market.
More importantly, this initiative has the potential to propel the entire continent of Africa towards becoming a leader in AI development and job creation in this rapidly evolving field.