Addis ababa: Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced plans for the world's second university dedicated to artificial intelligence, expected to be operational in Ethiopia by 2027. The announcement was made during a parliamentary session, where local media reported on the Prime Minister's address.

According to Anadolu Agency, construction for the university is already underway, with operations anticipated to commence within the next year. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of preparing Ethiopia's youth for future challenges, indicating that technology is one of the nation's key growth pillars. Drawing parallels to the establishment of Ethiopian Airlines, Abiy expressed optimism that this new institution will usher in an era of advancement for future generations.

Details regarding the university's structure, curriculum, or financial plans were not disclosed during the parliamentary session. In January, Abiy outlined that the university would focus on fields such as machine learning, robotics, and data science. The institution will leverage both the Ethiopian diaspora and international expertise for instruction and research, adopting a pan-African approach by offering 100 scholarships, including two for students from each African country.

The initiative follows the establishment of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Abu Dhabi, recognized as the world's first graduate-level institution dedicated to AI, which opened in 2019.