Ethiopia aims to launch world’s 2nd AI university in 2027: Premier

ISTANBUL

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Tuesday that the world’s second university focused on artificial intelligence is expected to be launched in Ethiopia in 2027, local media reported.

Construction for the university is already underway, with operations set to begin within the next year, Abiy told parliament, according to the Addis Standard news website.

He stressed the importance of equipping Ethiopia’s youth for future challenges, highlighting that technology is “one of Ethiopia’s five pillars of growth.”

“Just as our forefathers established Ethiopian Airlines and made it a globally respected institution, this university will open a better and more advanced era for our children,” Abiy added.

The parliamentary session did not reveal details on the university's structure, curriculum, or financial framework.

Abiy announced in January plans for an AI-focused university, which will specialize in fields like machine learning, robotics, and data science, with instruction and research drawing on both the Ethiopian diaspora and international expertise.

He emphasized that the university will have a pan-African approach, offering 100 scholarships, with two reserved for students from each African country.

Ethiopia’s plans for an AI-focused university follow the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Abu Dhabi, which was established in 2019 as the world’s first graduate-level institution dedicated to AI.