Ethiopia is working to establish an Artificial Intelligence (AI) university within the next six months, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced.
The remarks were made during a panel discussion with Addis Ababa University professors and senior government officials held as part of the university’s 75th anniversary celebrations.
Abiy said the institution will focus exclusively on advanced fields including machine learning, robotics, data mining, and computing. He added that Ethiopia would become the second country in the world to have AI university.
Reports indicate that so far, the United Arab Emirates is the first country to establish a university dedicated solely to artificial intelligence. The UAE institution is the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.
According to the prime minister, the university will have an initial intake capacity of 1,000 students. Of these, 100 students will be recruited from across Africa, with two students selected from each country. He also said the government plans to involve both Ethiopian diaspora scholars and local academics in the university’s teaching and research programs.
Abiy emphasized the need for swift action to prepare younger generations for rapid global technological shifts, noting that aligning with evolving global dynamics is critical for national development.
The announcement represents a notable policy shift. In previous years, the prime minister had publicly stated that the government would not establish additional universities in the country, at least in the near term.
