EGYPT Law and Practice Contributed by: Ibrahim Shehata, Tasneem El-Naggar and Safa Rabea, Shehata & Partners
Ethical and responsible use of AI The Egyptian Charter for Responsible AI under - scores the principles of transparency, fairness and accountability in AI development and deployment. It provides actionable insights to guide ethical AI practices while aligning with international frameworks, attracting investors and fostering responsible innovation. Anticipated developments and remaining gaps While Egypt has made significant strides in regu - lating AI, specific laws and executive regulations for AI remain absent, with existing legal frame - works, such as the PDPL and Consumer Pro - tection Law, applying general rules to AI-related activities. The issuance of executive regulations and AI-specific legislation is expected to fill these gaps, providing more clarity and robust governance. Through recent developments such as the estab - lishment of the NCAI and the introduction of the Egyptian Charter for Responsible AI, Egypt has demonstrated its commitment to fostering ethi - cal and responsible AI. These measures position the country as an emerging hub for AI innovation while ensuring the protection of personal data in compliance with legal and ethical standards. 1.6 Interplay Between AI and Data Protection Regulations Since no official AI-specific regulations have been issued by the NCAI in Egypt, the regu - latory framework for AI relies on broader ethi - cal guidelines and existing laws. The Egyptian Charter for Responsible AI, published in 2023 by the Ministry of Communications and Informa - tion Technology, serves as the first attempt to articulate ethical and responsible AI practices. This charter adapts international guidelines to the local context, offering preliminary guidance
• accuracy and security – data must be true, sound and secure during collection and pro - cessing; • lawful processing – data must be handled appropriately and lawfully for the stated pur - poses; and • retention limitations – data must not be retained longer than necessary to fulfil its purpose. These safeguards protect personal data used in AI, ensuring compliance with data protection principles. In addition to the PDPL, the IoT Regulatory Framework issued by the NTRA requires service providers to implement institutional and techni - cal measures to protect user data confidentiality. These provisions extend to IoT systems, which often work alongside AI, ensuring the secure handling of data across interconnected systems. In addition, the Consumer Protection Law No 181/2018 complements these obligations by requiring service providers to: • preserve and protect consumer informa - tion and data, ensuring it is not disclosed or traded without explicit consent; and • maintain confidentiality, taking all necessary precautions to uphold the privacy and confi - dentiality of consumer data. These combined legal frameworks – the NTRA IoT Regulatory Framework, the PDPL and the Consumer Protection Law – demonstrate Egypt’s commitment to safeguarding personal data and consumer rights in the rapidly evolving landscape of technology. Together, they ensure robust protections for personal data while foster - ing trust in advanced technologies.
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