Ethiopia has approved a 42 percent budget increase for the national Artificial Intelligence Institute, raising its total allocation to 1.13 billion birr—one of the largest investments in state-backed AI development to date. Officials say the move is part of the country’s push to accelerate public-sector digitization and strengthen its emerging technology ecosystem.

The expanded budget will support new research in language technologies, including Amharic speech recognition, automated translation, and digital linguistics initiatives designed to serve Ethiopia’s multilingual population. Leaders say these tools are becoming essential infrastructure as digital services spread nationwide.

The funding also aims to deepen collaboration between government agencies, universities, and private innovators. Planned initiatives include improved machine-learning facilities, expanded data-center capacity, and new research programs in agriculture, health, and public-service automation.

Government planners view the investment as a critical step toward meeting the goals of Digital Ethiopia 2030. By strengthening local capacity in AI, Ethiopia hopes to increase digital access, modernize public services, and expand opportunities for innovators building culturally relevant technology.