Access to Knowledge for Development Center - A2K4D

18/10/2026

📰 We’re pleased to highlight Al-Fanar Media, our media partner for Egypt AI Day!

Held on 30 September 2026 under the theme “Responsible AI in Practice,” Egypt AI Day brought together entrepreneurs, businesses, researchers, practitioners, and students for a day of interactive discussions, hands-on workshops, and knowledge exchange focused on AI literacy and the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence in Egypt.

The event was organized by the MENA Observatory on Responsible AI, the Access to Knowledge for Development Center (A2K4D) at the American University in Cairo’s Onsi Sawiris School of Business, and Arabi Facts Hub (AFH).

We thank Al-Fanar Media for its media partnership and for helping amplify conversations around responsible AI.

🔗 Read the full article: https://al-fanarmedia.org/2026/09/egypt-ai-day-at-the-american-university-in-cairo-brings-together-experts-and-students/



IDRC Middle East and North Africa
IDRC / CRDI
Open African Innovation Research - Open AIR
AUC Onsi Sawiris School of Business

The American University in Cairo hosts Egypt AI Day on 30 September, bringing together experts and students.

18/10/2026

We’re pleased to share that Dr. Nagla Rizk, Professor of Economics and Founding Director of the Access to Knowledge for Development Center (A2K4D) at The American University in Cairo (AUC), has been featured on the AUC website for her pioneering work on Feminist AI Research.

Her work highlights the importance of examining how AI intersects with gender, equality, and inclusion, contributing to ongoing efforts to advance more equitable and responsible AI.

Read more about Dr. Nagla Rizk and her work on the AUC website. https://www1.aucegypt.edu/faculty/naglarzk/

14/10/2026

Continuing the Inclusive AI Research Network (IAIRN) Cohort! ✨

The MENA Observatory on Responsible AI is proud to serve as the IAIRN Research Network’s hub in the MENA region.

We’re excited to introduce the next project in the cohort: ANIS!🌍

🛡️ ANIS | Egypt/Germany | Children & AI Safety

ANIS is an exploratory study examining whether short, explainable “reflective friction” interventions can help children aged 10–14 recognize gender-related manipulation and choose safer responses in simulated Egyptian Arabic chats with AI language models (LLMs).

Focusing on Egyptian transnational families with ties to Cairo and Berlin, the project explores how children’s responses and preferences may differ by location, gender, and manipulation tactic. It also examines how children and parents interpret these safety messages, including what they find helpful, fair, or problematic.

Through participatory design, children and parents will help refine fictional chat scenarios and safety messages. The project aims to develop culturally appropriate approaches to AI safety that support children’s autonomy, safety, and ability to seek help.

We’re proud to spotlight projects exploring how AI can contribute to more inclusive, equitable, and impactful solutions across the MENA region.

✨ Stay tuned as we continue introducing the participating teams in the IAIRN Cohort!



IDRC Middle East and North Africa
IDRC / CRDI
Open African Innovation Research - Open AIR
Global Network of Internet & Society Centers
Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford
AUC Onsi Sawiris School of Business

13/10/2026

Continuing the Inclusive AI Research Network (IAIRN) Cohort! ✨

The MENA Observatory on Responsible AI is very proud to serve as the IAIRN Research Network’s hub in the MENA region.

We’re excited to introduce the next project in the cohort: Adala-AI! ⚖️

🇪🇬 Adala-AI | Egypt | Law

Adala-AI is an applied research project using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to analyze 300–500 Egyptian administrative court rulings, examining gender bias in judicial language and outcomes, particularly in survivor pension disputes.
By developing an open, gender-tagged legal dataset and engaging legal aid practitioners working with low-income women, the project aims to make systemic gender bias in administrative justice more visible and support evidence-based judicial reform.

Through responsible AI and inclusive research, Adala-AI seeks to contribute to a fairer justice system that better recognizes and addresses the challenges women face.

We’re proud to spotlight projects that harness AI to create more inclusive, equitable, and impactful solutions across the MENA region.

✨ Stay tuned as we continue introducing all the participating teams in the IAIRN Cohort!



IDRC Middle East and North Africa
IDRC / CRDI
Open African Innovation Research - Open AIR
Global Network of Internet & Society Centers
AUC Onsi Sawiris School of Business

13/10/2026

We’re pleased to share that the MENA Observatory on Responsible AI has been featured in EnterpriseAM’s latest article, exploring the challenges of scaling AI adoption across the GCC.

Our Senior Consultant, Marwa Soudi, shares insights on data sovereignty, privacy, and the risks facing regional startups as they adopt AI technologies.

As AI adoption accelerates, responsible implementation, data protection, and effective governance remain essential to building a trusted AI ecosystem across the region.

🔗 Read the full article: https://enterpriseam.com/menaplus/2026/10/12/gcc-ai-adoption-surges-on-paper-but-scaling-past-the-pilot-stays-the-hard-part/



IDRC Middle East and North Africa
IDRC / CRDI
Open African Innovation Research - Open AIR
Global Network of Internet & Society Centers
AUC Onsi Sawiris School of Business

The gap between experimenting and embedding is where data readiness, governance and workforce changes decide the outcome — and while GCC firms wait, the early…

06/10/2026

استضافت الجامعة الأمريكية بالقاهرة فعاليات «يوم الذكاء الاصطناعي في مصر» (Egypt AI Day)ضمن الاحتفال العالمي بهذا اليوم، بالشراكة بين مركز إتاحة المعرفة من أجل التنمية بكلية أونسي ساويرس لإدارة الأعمال ومجتمع التحقق العربي، وهو مؤسسة تدريبية غير ربحية تدرس البيانات وتحللها في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا. وشارك في التنظيم «الفنار للإعلام» و«المصري اليوم» ومؤسسة أهل الميديا بصفتهم شركاء إعلاميين.

وضمت الفعالية سلسلة من الورش وجلسة نقاشية حول تطبيق مفهوم الذكاء الاصطناعي المسؤول عمليًا، بمشاركة خبراء من شركات ومؤسسات بارزة، مثل أورنج مصر وManus وSprint AI.

التفاصيل في تقرير معاذ وائل وآية أيوب: https://al-fanarmedia.org/ar/2026/10/%d9%8a%d9%88%d9%85-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b0%d9%83%d8%a7%d8%a1-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%b5%d8%b7%d9%86%d8%a7%d8%b9%d9%8a-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d9%85%d8%b5%d8%b1-%d9%86%d9%82%d8%a7%d8%b4-%d9%88%d8%aa%d8%af/

تم إنتاج هذا المحتوى في إطار مشروع جيل زد – الدفعة الثالثة (صوت الطالب المصري).

Arabi Facts Hub - مجتمع التحقق العربي

06/10/2026

Egypt AI Day 2026: Bringing Responsible AI into Practice

On September 30, we had the pleasure of bringing together a diverse community of researchers, journalists, students, entrepreneurs, AI practitioners, and technology enthusiasts for Egypt AI Day at The American University in Cairo.

The event was jointly organized by the MENA Observatory on Responsible AI, Access to Knowledge for Development Center (A2K4D), Onsi Sawiris School of Business at The American University in Cairo, and Arabi Facts Hub.

The day began with welcoming and opening remarks by Dr. Nagla Rizk, Professor of Economics and Founding Director of A2K4D, setting the stage for a day centered on practical AI knowledge, responsible use, and emerging technologies. Dr. Nagla also joined the closing session, bringing the day to a meaningful conclusion.

Throughout the event, participants took part in a series of hands-on workshops covering a wide range of topics, including:
• Advanced Prompt Engineering
• AI-Powered Visual Content Creation
• Study, Research & Content Creation with Manus
• Vibe Coding with Claude Code
• Data Analytics & Interactive Dashboards
• Building AI Agents
• AI Content Detection & Verification

The program also featured panel discussions exploring the opportunities, challenges, and evolving landscape of AI.

One of the highlights of the day was the incredible engagement from participants. The workshop rooms were full, discussions were active, and participants had the opportunity to learn, experiment, ask questions, and exchange ideas with experts from different fields.

We are grateful to all the speakers, workshop facilitators, panelists, partners, and participants who contributed to making Egypt AI Day a successful and engaging day.

Thank you to everyone who joined us as we continue to create spaces for practical learning and promote responsible and meaningful AI adoption in Egypt and the region.

IDRC Middle East and North Africa
IDRC / CRDI
Open African Innovation Research - Open AIR
Global Network of Internet & Society Centers
AUC Onsi Sawiris School of Business

30/09/2026