From robots that diagnose viruses to smartphone apps that translate ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs in real time, Egypt’s young tech entrepreneurs are transforming artificial intelligence from a futuristic concept into practical tools for everyday life.
“Artificial intelligence accelerated the path I always envisioned,” said Mahmoud El-Koumy, a 32-year-old mechatronic engineer and robotics expert. “It allows me to turn ideas into solutions that serve people.”
El-Koumy’s work bridges innovation and real-world impact. His creations include Cira, a robot developed to assist with COVID-19 medical screenings, and a generator that produces potable water from atmospheric moisture.
Beyond his laboratory, El-Koumy is building Egypt’s next generation of innovators. He founded an academy that has trained more than 7,000 students in robotics and programming.
“AI is no longer optional,” he said, surrounded by 3D printers and VR headsets. “Anyone who does not adapt will have no place in the future.”
This shift is increasingly visible in Egyptian households. Rahma Ibrahim, the academy’s manager, said parents now see coding as a core literacy rather than a niche skill.
“Teaching children programming is an investment in their mindset and critical thinking,” she said. “These skills are no longer confined to engineering. They are becoming essential across nearly every profession.”
This grassroots momentum aligns with a national strategy to integrate AI into university curricula and digital infrastructure, positioning technology as a pillar of development.
In 2025, Egypt’s AI market reached nearly $490 million and is projected to grow sharply, with forecasts suggesting it could contribute around 7.7 percent of GDP by 2030. Analysts estimate that investments in AI and related infrastructure have already exceeded $1 billion.
While El-Koumy focuses on the future of work, other innovators are using AI to reimagine the past.
Ibram Anwar, a 2024 computer science graduate and co-founder of Dark Pyramid for AI Solutions, helped launch Manetho, a smartphone app that translates ancient hieroglyphs in museums and archaeological sites.
Using augmented reality, the app allows historical figures to “narrate” their own stories.
“Translating a ‘dead language’ poses unique technical challenges,” Anwar said. The project required two years of data collection and close collaboration between engineers and archaeologists to train its AI models.
Supported by Egypt’s Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (TIEC), Anwar sees AI not as a replacement for human talent, but as its amplifier.
“AI should expand human creativity by reducing repetitive work,” he said. “It creates space for us to innovate.”
