Workshop highlights integration of AI and digital fabrication technologies

A two-day workshop titled “Artificial Intelligence Meets Digital Fabrication” was launched, this morning at the Telecom Campus in Ebène, by the Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, Dr Avinash Ramtohul.

Organised by the Ministry in collaboration with the Mauritius Digital Promotion Agency, the initiative targets university-level students and aims to strengthen technological literacy and innovation in Mauritius. The workshop aims to explore the convergence of AI and digital fabrication technologies, including additive manufacturing and their growing impact on local entrepreneurship, prototyping, and industrial development.

This initiative bridges the gap between digital ideation and physical manufacturing by integrating Generative AI as a ‘design thinking assistant’. Students will move from conceptualisation to a 3D-printed base product using Meshy AI, which they will subsequently enhance with Gemini-driven ideas and value-added features.

In his remarks, Minister Ramtohul highlighted that the workshop will provide university students with hands-on exposure to digital fabrication, AI-assisted design thinking, and creative problem-solving. This event, he pointed out, will be laying the groundwork for a broader innovation and startup-focused initiative.

While emphasising that AI is becoming a key factor in a country’s economy, the Minister highlighted the growing importance of AI in economic development and recalled the recent launch of the National AI Strategy 2025–2029, which seeks to position Mauritius as a regional high-tech hub. He also referred to Government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen information security and data protection frameworks, including the adoption of ISO/IEC 27001 standards and the review of existing legislation to ensure greater public confidence in the protection of personal data and digital systems.

According to Dr Ramtohul, young people nowadays want to explore projects which are commercially viable. As such, the National Research and Innovation Institute Bill, once adopted in the National Assembly, will enable Government to better devise fiscal, technological, social or mentoring-based policies to adequately support young innovators and entrepreneurs, he underlined.

Government, he added, is also currently reviewing the laws to strengthen data protection so as to ensure that all Mauritians feel comfortable with the way relevant authorities protect their data in terms of technology and good practices.

14 May 2026

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Topics: Others, Artificial Intelligence