When people talk about Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), it’s easy to imagine it as a distant, high-tech concept only relevant to the world’s most advanced cities. But in reality, AGI—and its younger sibling, everyday AI technology—has the potential to make the biggest difference where resources have traditionally lagged behind. My time working alongside iCog Labs in Ethiopia, a company co-founded by Ben Goertzel and Getnet Aseffa, has shown me just how much promise and how many unique hurdles there are when nurturing AI projects in developing nations. There’s enormous potential here, but also a lot to learn.
AI could be a real game changer for education—especially in places where shortages of teachers, textbooks, and even basic infrastructure are everyday challenges. And if we dig deeper, the obstacles aren’t just about missing blackboards: many children in countries like Ethiopia are expected to learn in languages they barely understand, using materials that don’t reflect their real lives or cultures. The answer isn’t just technology for technology’s sake; instead, it’s about solutions born out of local insights, creativity, and hands-on partnerships.
UNESCO estimates that about 40% of children worldwide go to school in a language they don’t fully grasp, which means they’re missing out not just on words, but on all kinds of opportunities. This is where AI-powered language tools shine. While there’s often little profit motivation for global tech giants to support small or under-resourced language communities, targeted projects fill the gap. Alongside Curious Learning, we’ve built AI-backed reading apps catering to local Ethiopian languages, now used by over 85,000 people. They’re simple, low-resource tools taming the hardest linguistic challenges faced by so many kids.
To dig even deeper, we’ve launched Leyu—a decentralized data collection platform—focused on gathering language samples directly from far-flung villages. The data we collect trains AI translation systems, so another under-represented language doesn’t get left out of tomorrow’s digital conversation.
Of course, language is only part of the equation. True educational progress depends on content that means something locally. AI has a role here, too: it can generate science lessons about crops local kids see every day or math problems built around the rhythms of their own markets. This is education that clicks, because it’s finally about them.
Some of our proudest work has rolled out on the road with Digitruck—a full-blown mobile classroom built into a truck. Thanks, in part, to support from SingularityNET, Digitruck is decked out with computers and devices, and rolls into some of Ethiopia’s most remote spots. Kids test out coding and even get hands-on experiences with AI—all while staying close to their roots.
Looking back, there have also been joyful, unforgettable moments. From 2015 to 2019, the RoboSapiens program had university students programming humanoid robots to play soccer—a blend of culture and high-tech excitement that created instant buzz from Ethiopia to Kenya and Nigeria. Sadly, practical obstacles like expensive import tariffs on electronics put the program on hold, a reminder that technical ambition needs support from strong policy and infrastructure.
All this energy must be matched by caution and care. As AI makes its way into classrooms and daily life, it’s crucial not to let these tools replace essential skills or undermine teachers. Rather, the aim is to help educators do what they do best—foster curiosity and independent thinking—while supporting them with new resources.
It’s not about one-size-fits-all rules. Instead, the communities themselves need to guide what AI does for them. That kind of meaningful, grassroots engagement is what will ensure AI enhances education, rather than becoming just another barrier.
Equitable, responsible AI in education isn’t simple or quick. It means working side-by-side with local leaders, keeping cultural nuances front and center, and planning for ethical risks. But it’s worth every bit of effort. When a child in rural Ethiopia codes for the very first time on a Digitruck laptop, that’s when the big themes of equity and empowerment stop being buzzwords—and become real, lived experiences.
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