Under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Egypt officially opened Ai Everything
Middle East & Africa (MEA) 2026 today in Cairo This major event, which marks the first
global AI summit and exhibition of the year, showcases Egypt’s strategic commitment to
becoming a regional leader in artificial intelligence (AI) The summit brings together over
350 AI enterprises, startups, and 100+ investors from over 30 countries, highlighting Egypt’s
growing role as a hub for AI innovation in Africa and the Middle East
Ai Everything 2026: A Milestone in Egypt’s AI Strategy
The Ai Everything MEA 2026 event, hosted by Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information
Technology (MCIT) in collaboration with GITEX, underlines the nation’s drive to incorporate AI into
its economic development and digital transformation The opening ceremony featured landmark
announcements on Egypt’s national AI initiatives, including the launch of Karnak, Egypt’s first large
language model (LLM) developed locally to serve as the foundation for AI applications across multiple
sectors, including education, healthcare, and government services Ahmed Alzaher, CEO of ITIDA
emphasized, “Ai Everything MEA Egypt 2026 is more than a summit – it’s a launchpad innovation
investment, and collaboration that showcases the strength of Egypt’s AI ecosystem to the world
Launch of Karnak: Egypt’s National AI Language Model
The highlight of the event’s opening day was the unveiling of Karnak, Egypt’s national
AI language model. With a range of 30-40 billion to 70-80 billion parameters, Karnak is
designed to provide a powerful Arabic-first AI solution that can be used by startups
enterprises, and public institutions to build locally-grounded AI applications. This launch
is a significant step in Egypt’s National AI Strategy, which aims to position AI as a cornerstone
of the nation’s digital economy
Flagship AI Applications Launched at the Summit
The opening of Ai Everything 2026 also saw the introduction of various AI-powered
applications that reflect Egypt’s commitment to leveraging AI for national development
Among the key announcements were
SIA (Smart Interactive Assistant): A personalized AI tutor supporting Arabic language
and Egyptian history education for high school students
AI Legal Assistant: A tool to help citizens and small businesses navigate Egypt’s regulatory landscape
AcQua A natural language processing (NLP) tool designed to monitor calls at the Digital Egypt
call center for accuracy and professionalism
Healthcare AI Models: Locally trained models aimed at the early detection of
diseases like diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, and breast cancer
Torgoman: An automated translation engine specializing in legal and regulatory content
BelMasry: An NLP engine designed to support colloquial Arabic language processing
Egypt’s AI-Driven Future: Practical Applications for Government and Industry
Unlike many global AI summits focused on theoretical discussions or long-term projections
Ai Everything MEA 2026 took a more outcomes-focused approach, emphasizing practical
production-ready AI systems The event showcased live deployments of AI infrastructure in
sectors like government services, healthcare, fintech, cybersecurity, and smart cities The
event also highlighted Egypt’s Arabic-first AI models, designed to meet the unique regulatory
and operational requirements of Africa and the Middle East
Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of inD (global organizer of GITEX), noted, “AI represents the fastest
industrial transformation of our time, and Egypt is at the forefront of this transformation
driving speed and scale in AI adoption
Strategic Initiatives for Regional and Global Impact
In addition to the AI applications launched during the event, the AI-Share initiative was
introduced, a collaborative effort between the UNDP and Egypt’s Ministry of Communications
and Information Technology to share AI solutions with Arab and African nations. Another key
development is Loghat, an LLM-based application aimed at democratizing English language
education across Egypt, helping expand workforce readiness and improving employment
opportunities in the private sector
Egypt’s Role in the Recalibrating Global AI Landscape
As the global AI economy continues to evolve, Ai Everything MEA Egypt 2026 positions
Egypt as a central player in the growing AI landscape Investors and tech leaders are
increasingly turning to emerging markets where AI can be developed closer to the end-users
deployed faster, and scaled with clearer commercial and societal impacts
The summit runs until 12 February 2026 at the Egypt International Exhibition Center
Visitors can expect to see AI models and solutions tailored to the unique needs of Africa
and the Middle East
Karnak, Egypt’s first national AI language model was unveiled
AI applications for education, healthcare, and government services were announced
The summit highlighted Egypt’s role as a regional leader in AI innovation
Practical AI infrastructure and sector-specific applications were showcased
About Ai Everything Middle East & Africa Egypt 2026
The inaugural Ai Everything Middle East & Africa Egypt 2026 is part of the GITEX GLOBAL series
held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi Hosted by Egypt’s Ministry of
Communications & Information Technology, the event serves as a launchpad for AI innovation
investment, and collaboration The summit brings together leading AI enterprises, startups, investors
and government leaders to explore AI-driven applications that align with Egypt’s National AI Strategy
2025-2030 For more information, visit: www.aieverythingegypt.com
Media Contact
Sean Muir, PR Director, GITEX
[email protected]