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The Unintended Consequences of AI on Education

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools have rapidly transformed how we live and work. This is evident in both developed and developing countries. AI has become an integral part of our daily lives, from self-driving cars to virtual assistants. Even though Ethiopia has yet to reach that stage, more advanced countries are already experiencing such transformative changes. However, the impact of AI tools is only sometimes positive. The emergence of ChatGPT, an AI-powered language model developed by OpenAI, capable of generating human-like text based on context and past conversations, has raised concerns among academic experts and professionals in education due to the possible hazards of ethical issues in schools like cheating and motivating students to put out the least amount of effort. In this article, EBR’s Eden Teshome assesses AI’s advantages, drawbacks, and limitations in the education sector.  


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Ethiopia’s Economy Takes a Hit

Ethiopia has experienced a decline in its export earnings, posing severe challenges to covering its import bills. Unrest and conflicts have resulted in supply chain disruptions, hindering production and export. Ethiopia heavily relies on agricultural products for export, including coffee, oilseeds, and textiles. Fluctuations in global commodity prices significantly contributed to the country’s declining export earnings. The overall macroeconomic situation, which resulted in an overvalued local currency, has made it challenging to offer Ethiopian commodities at competitive prices in the global market. Limited transportation options, inefficient customs procedures, and inadequate port facilities add to delays and increased costs, making Ethiopian exports less competitive. The government’s decision demanding commercial banks surrender 70Pct of export proceeds further exacerbated the problem. EBR’s Eden Teshome explores. 


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Faith Helping the Addiction Fight

 

Ethiopia’s youth population is increasingly struggling with drug addiction. Many young people are resorting to drugs as a coping mechanism for the difficulties of poverty, unemployment, and social isolation, which worsens the situation. Those who are battling addiction find it challenging to access the necessary care due to the lack of rehabilitation facilities in the country as a whole. The ones that exist are frequently understaffed and underfunded. However, some monasteries and religious sites are attempting to address the issue and aid individuals who are fighting addiction. In this article, EBR’s Eden Teshome tells the story of those who are fighting their addiction with the help of religion.


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Billboards, radio, television, and press advertisements are still fundamental forms of advertising, particularly in traditional economies with poor access to digital media. Digital advertising is, however, becoming more common in metropolitan areas due to the rising usage of smartphones and internet connectivity. Businesses use social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to connect with younger, more technologically adept audiences and customers. Traditional techniques continue to be essential for reaching larger audiences despite this transition towards digital advertising, but some argue that in a few years, digital advertising will dominate the market. In this article, EBR’s Eden Teshome tells the story of the evolution of advertising practices. 


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The practice of sending older people and those who need special care to specialized centres are rare in Ethiopia. Instead, they remain at home, depending on their loved ones. Caregiving for the elderly and long-term patients usually remains the responsibility of family members. The practice has been tied so closely to African tradition that there is even a saying that “Because you [i.e., the child’s older parents] have taken care of me to grow teeth, I will take care of you till your teeth fall out. As young men and women now would rather spend their day at their schools and jobs than take care of the elderly and sick, this tradition seems to be changing slowly but surely, writes EBR’s Eden Teshome. 


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Almost every part of everyday life involves the Internet. In many parts of the World, internet connections have gone from being a luxury to a necessity. The COVID pandemic has brought into clear view the necessity of being linked to the outside Internet for survival and general sanity. 

Digital transformation has been a significant agenda item for the government, with the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed taking a personal interest in the matter. The Internet was a necessity to disseminate and access information and follow up business activities such as upkeeping of supply chains and e-commerce, remote banking, or the ability to contact friends and family. Ironically, the Prosperity regime is also suffocating access to the Internet to limit the use of social media, which it accuses of fueling political tensions in the country. In this article, EBR’s Eden Teshome assesses the paradox of digital aspiration and the limited Internet access on which digital services heavily depend.


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FINTEX, the International Exhibition and Conference on Furniture, Interior, and Construction Finishing Products, Technologies, Machineries, Raw Materials, Accessories, and Services, is set to take place from June 15th to 18th, 2023, at the Millennium Hall in Addis Ababa. This event, co-hosted by African Trade-Fair Partners and Prana Events, revolves around the theme “PUTTING BUSINESSES IN THE SPOTLIGHT.”


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As Government Unplugs Support System Too Early

Globally, no other industry has been hit as hard by the COVID pandemic as the hospitality industry has. With severe restrictions on travel, hotels shutting down, and tourist attractions deserted, the world has experienced the first disaster of its kind in decades. In Ethiopia, the hospitality industry experienced a double blow from the pandemic and a series of security challenges nationwide. As if the series of security challenges were not enough, the country plunged into war in 2020, affecting famous tourist attractions such as Lalibela and Al Nejashi Mosque. Even though the government showed a gesture of goodwill to support the industry through tax related incentives, tourism remains too broken to revive after brief painkiller measures, write EBR’s Addisu Deresse and Eden Teshome.


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Even though there was a tense environment in the host country, Ethiopia, the heads of state and government of the African Union held their 36th ordinary session on February 18, 2023. The summit followed a period of heavy tension between the government of Abiy Ahmed (PhD) and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which even called for a national protest rally a day after the summit, if it were not for a negotiation that brought the confrontation to a resolution. As is customary, African leaders convened at the Union’s headquarters in Addis Ababa’s Lideta District to discuss how to reduce border restrictions and accelerate economic progress, among many other developments in the year 2022. In this article, EBR’s Addisu Deresse and Eden Teshome review the event and its main topic, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).


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Floors in residences, offices and other such places have seen a series of styles through the years. Until recent times, it was a mixture of cement and sand that would be used to coat most indoor floors in urbanite Ethiopia. Such floors would have been covered by other plastic sheets. For the years that followed, tiles and ceramics have dominated the fashion of coating floors in the capital. Recently, however, the use of epoxy to coat floors and kitchen tables seem to have made an entrance into the business and trend. In this article EBR’s Eden Teshome writes about the material, the trend and the business behind epoxy coatings, and its shifting global market.




Ethiopian Business Review | EBR is a first-class and high-quality monthly business magazine offering enlightenment to readers and a platform for partners.



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