Egypt’s Minister of Communications, Dr. Amr Talaat, recently presided over a ceremony honoring the winners of the AWS DeepRacer competition, a self-driving car race leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. The event, organized by the National Telecommunications Institute (NTI) in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), took place at the Knowledge City in the New Administrative Capital, following the competition held from January 28 to February 4.
A Platform to Foster AI Skills
The AWS DeepRacer competition saw the participation of 183 competitors from 15 Egyptian governorates, who competed in 71 teams. These participants, including graduates and trainees from various national capacity-building initiatives under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, applied their knowledge to develop machine learning models to control self-driving cars on a virtual racing track.
Commitment to AI Capacity Building
In his address at the ceremony, Dr. Talaat emphasized that the competition aligns with the Ministry’s strategic goals to expand Egypt’s workforce with trained experts in AI and machine learning. He explained that AI is a transformative technology with immense potential to revolutionize various sectors.
The National AI Strategy is central to Egypt’s development, with the aim of training over 30,000 individuals in AI-related fields. Talaat pointed to the successful implementation of previous initiatives under the first phase of the strategy, which included launching specialized AI training programs, establishing AI-focused academic institutions, and founding the University of Information Technology in Egypt, which specializes in preparing talent for deep technologies such as AI.
The Minister also highlighted that the ICT sector has been the fastest-growing sector in Egypt for six consecutive years, solidifying its role as a key driver of national development.
AWS Support for Local Talent and Business Expansion
The event also marked a significant milestone in strengthening Egypt’s position as a hub for regional AI and technology development. Mohamed El-Shanawany, AWS’s General Manager for the Middle East and North Africa, praised the collaboration for bolstering the local talent pool, which not only supports the domestic market but also enables Egyptian companies to expand regionally across the Middle East and Africa.
El-Shanawany noted that AWS has been instrumental in enabling the growth of local businesses, providing the necessary infrastructure for companies in Egypt to scale their operations. He also outlined how AWS’s services empower companies to expand their footprints regionally and globally.
Employment Forum: Connecting Graduates with Industry Leaders
On the sidelines of the ceremony, Dr. Talaat also inaugurated a Job Fair, aimed at connecting graduates and participants with 11 leading companies from the AWS Partner Network. Notable companies included Vodafone, ALGO CAS, Forte Cloud, Zero&One, and Noventiq, among others. The fair provided a platform for young professionals and students to network with industry leaders and explore career opportunities in technology.
Dr. Talaat reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to creating a thriving job market for graduates, emphasizing the importance of such collaborations in bridging the gap between academic knowledge and industry demands.
The employment forum is part of Egypt’s broader efforts to empower youth, ensuring that they have access to meaningful opportunities in technology sectors that are vital for the country’s future growth and innovation.
