Media entrepreneur and global technology figure Sheeraz Hasan has thrown his weight behind Ethiopia's fast-growing artificial intelligence drive, meeting Shambel Yilma, PhD, Chief Officer and Technology Advisor, alongside the wider team at the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute. The visit centred on a technology exchange aimed at promoting Ethiopia's expanding AI initiatives, from startup acceleration to next-generation infrastructure.
The meeting comes off the back of Hasan's broader international work around Hollywood.AI and Bollywood.AI, two ventures he has used to push artificial intelligence further into the entertainment and enterprise mainstream. For Ethiopia, the stop placed a national institution at the heart of a widening global conversation about where the next AI hubs will emerge.
Inside the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute
Established several years ago under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute has become a focal point for the country's technology ambitions. During the visit, Shambel Yilma, PhD, and the Ethiopian team introduced advanced technology infrastructure and showcased facilities built to accelerate the country's AI development.
The message was consistent throughout: Ethiopia is committing meaningful resources to a future shaped by innovation, startups and digital transformation, rather than treating AI as a peripheral interest.
A National Mission Built Around Startups
According to the Institute, its core mandate is to fund artificial intelligence startups with the potential to scale into unicorn companies capable of reshaping entire industries. That ambition signals Ethiopia's intent to be an active participant in the global technology economy rather than a bystander.
- High-level meeting with Shambel Yilma, PhD, Chief Officer and Technology Advisor
- Focus on AI startup acceleration and unicorn-scale growth
- Showcase of advanced facilities and technology infrastructure
- Positioning Ethiopia within a wider global AI movement
Linking Entertainment AI to National Innovation
Hasan has spent recent months expanding artificial intelligence conversations through Hollywood.AI and Bollywood.AI, arguing that the technology now touches virtually every major sector, from media to enterprise. In that framing, Ethiopia stands out as a country treating groundbreaking innovation as a national priority rather than a niche pursuit.
The combination of national investment, modern facilities and forward-leaning leadership, the Institute's team suggested, paints the picture of a country moving deliberately toward a technology-led future.
An Abu Dhabi Read on the AI Race
The story resonates from the Gulf, where Abu Dhabi has positioned artificial intelligence at the centre of its own economic diversification agenda. As capitals across the world race to nurture AI talent, infrastructure and startups, Ethiopia's push adds another emerging market to a global map that increasingly includes both established hubs and ambitious newcomers.
For readers in the UAE following the wider AI build-out, the takeaway is straightforward: the contest to attract founders, capital and compute is no longer confined to a handful of established centres, and Ethiopia is now firmly part of that conversation.
What Comes Next
The visit reinforced a clear theme. Ethiopia is leaning into a future powered by artificial intelligence and major innovation initiatives aimed at worldwide recognition. With Shambel Yilma, PhD, and the Ethiopian team spotlighting the country's commitment, and Sheeraz Hasan amplifying it through his international platform, Ethiopia's technology chapter is set to grow louder in the months ahead.
