EAII launches Desta Robot
ADDIS ABABA – Ensuring ethical and proper use of artificial intelligence (AI) is government’s priority to accelerate national growth, Ministry of Finance (MoF) said.
On the sideline of the inauguration of “Desta Robot” by Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute (EAII) before yesterday, MoF’s State Minister Eyob Tekalgn (PhD) told The Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that Ethiopia need to use artificial intelligence technology correctly and properly to advance overall development.
As to the State Minister, giving serious attention to AI technology under the umbrella of information communication technology is among the priority areas of the reformist government to address country’s challenges.
Among others, AI technology helps to curb economic, health, and agriculture limitations of the nation by encouraging creativity, increasing human intelligence, he noted.
EAII’s Communication Affairs Director Tesfaye Zewdie on his part said that his institution has been carrying out various activities to bring problem-solving technology using AI.
EAII has developed robots that speak local languages, it was learnt.
Tesfaye further stated that previously, Ethiopian languages were not machine languages which makes it difficult to conduct deep scientific research. However, EAII developed “Natural Language processing” aimed at enhancing technology-assisted communication with using languages.
For instance, he said, Desta Robot is speaking in Amharic which is significant to inspire creativity and educating the new generation about technology.
“AI also helps to bridge the health gap through exploiting effective technology. For example, the total ratio of the doctors to the patients is 1 to 22,000 in Ethiopia. AI technology attempts to fill this wide gap,” he noted.
Likewise, the EAII establishing a 15 petabyte storage capacity data center in order to manage the information in a modern way. It has also been working in producing skilled human power and filling infrastructure gaps to bring significant outcome from artificial intelligence technology in the years to come, he mentioned.
Furthermore, the EAII works in realizing smart city previously like Adama, Bishoftu, Hawassa, Bahir Dar, and Jigigiga whilst the work will continue for other cities in the coming future, Tesfaye elaborated.
BY MESERET BEHAILU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 12 APRIL 2024
