TMT 2025

EGYPT Law and Practice Contributed by: Ibrahim Shehata, Hesham Kamel, Hana ElBarbary and Dima Mazen, Shehata & Partners

Existing Laws Governing AI National Council for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) Established in November 2019 by Decree No 2889, the National Council for Artificial Intel - ligence (NCAI) operates under the Ministry of Telecommunications, led by the minister. The NCAI is responsible for developing and man - aging Egypt’s AI strategy, working closely with experts and stakeholders to ensure that AI ini - tiatives align with national priorities and inter - national best practices. The council’s mandate includes fostering innovation, ensuring ethical standards, and driving sustainable growth in the AI ecosystem. Egyptian Charter for Responsible AI The Egyptian Charter for Responsible AI reflects the country’s commitment to ethical AI practices. Aligned with the OECD AI Principles, the char - ter emphasises human-centred principles like accountability, fairness, safety, security, trans - parency and explainability. The charter aims to guide AI developers, enhance the attractiveness of investment, and empower citizens to advo - cate for responsible AI applications. National Artificial Intelligence Strategy In early 2025, Egypt introduced the second edi - tion of its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2025–2030). This strategy sets clear guidelines for responsible AI use, fostering innovation and supporting integration across various sectors. By aligning with international standards and adapting them to the local context, Egypt seeks to position itself as a leader in AI development while ensuring ethical standards and sustainable growth.

Elements Relevant to AI Technology Data protection and consumer protection AI relies on collecting and processing large datasets to recognise patterns and make pre - dictions. Under Egyptian law, any data collected and processed for AI purposes is protected. The Data Protection Law mandates that personal data must be collected for legitimate purposes, be accurate and secure, processed lawfully, and not retained longer than necessary. Similarly, the Consumer Protection Law requires suppliers to preserve consumer information, maintain con - fidentiality, and avoid unauthorised disclosure without explicit consent. Intellectual property While AI inventors can legally protect their pat - ent rights under the Intellectual Property Law, AI machines themselves are not granted patent rights, as they lack legal personality. This rais - es intriguing questions about the ownership of inventions created autonomously by AI – an area not yet addressed in Egyptian law and still under global discussion. Liability and insurance Determining liability when an AI system causes harm can be complex. The Egyptian Civil Code holds guardians of mechanical devices respon - sible for damages unless these are caused by uncontrollable external factors. This suggests that AI developers or operators could be held liable if their AI systems cause predictable and preventable harm. Additionally, the Consumer Protection Law holds suppliers accountable for damages arising from product defects, improper use, or failure to take sufficient care. Unaddressed issues in Egyptian law Despite the existing legal framework, certain aspects of AI technology remain unregulated. For instance, Egyptian law does not specifically

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