Engineer Fesseha Atlaw, with over 40 years in digitizing Ethiopic script, shares insights in a February 2026 Tadias Magazine interview from New York on language technology's evolution. From early font design to Unicode standardization, he traces the path that now supports AI tools for Amharic and other Ethiopian languages. The discussion covers opportunities, challenges, and ethical considerations in AI's integration with underrepresented scripts.
Engineer Fesseha Atlaw began his efforts to integrate Ethiopic script into computers in the 1980s, designing fonts pixel by pixel and contributing to Unicode standards. In 1989, he collaborated with Xerox scientist Dr. Joseph Becker on a multilingual word processor for Voice of America broadcasts. Atlaw served as a voting member of the Unicode Technical Committee, representing Hewlett-Packard and his company, Dashen Engineering.
In the era of artificial intelligence, Ethiopian languages benefit from Unicode inclusion, enabling AI tools to translate documents, generate poems, compose songs, converse in Amharic, and read aloud Ethiopic texts. Models like GPT-4 and DeepSeek now handle Amharic names more accurately, achieving over 80% proficiency, though cultural nuances remain challenging. Atlaw notes improvements in interpreting proverbs and 'wax and gold' expressions.
Young Ethiopian technologists, both in Ethiopia and the diaspora, are advancing AI applications for Ethiopic languages. Projects include Hasab.ai for speech-to-text and translation, Ehud AI for content creation, MetaAppz.com for games and tools, EthiopicApps.org as a software hub, and the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute (EAII) for public services integration. The Endrias Fesseha Atlaw Foundation (EFAW) hosts annual Ethiopic app development contests, attracting hundreds of participants.
Atlaw expresses optimism about AI's potential while cautioning on risks. 'Artificial intelligence mimics human cognition but blurs lines between truth and fabrication,' he says. He emphasizes ethical use, especially for Ethiopia's cultural and religious heritage, and advises vigilance as AI analyzes ancient texts like the Book of Enoch.
