How the UAE Is Using AI to Build the World’s Largest Arabic Language Resources

In a bold move to preserve and modernize the Arabic language, the UAE is harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to create the world’s most comprehensive Arabic language resources. This visionary initiative blends culture, education, and technology, ensuring that Arabic not only thrives in the digital era but also reaches a global audience.

National Strategy: Safeguarding and Modernizing Arabic

Arabic is more than a language; it is a vessel of culture, history, and identity. Recognizing this, the UAE has launched a strategic, AI-driven program to safeguard and advance Arabic. This initiative introduces sophisticated digital tools, including AI-powered dictionaries, readability platforms, and native language models that capture the richness of Arabic in all its forms.

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Falcon Arabic: A Game-Changing Language Model

At the heart of this effort is Falcon Arabic, developed by the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in collaboration with the Advanced Technology Research Council. Trained on high-quality datasets covering Modern Standard Arabic and regional dialects, Falcon Arabic delivers unparalleled accuracy and cultural relevance. Despite being smaller than many global models, it rivals others ten times its size, setting a new benchmark for Arabic natural language processing.

An enhanced variant, Falcon-H1, further elevates performance, outperforming international counterparts like Meta and Alibaba models, demonstrating that cutting-edge AI innovation is thriving in the UAE.

AI Tools Transforming Education, Publishing, and Research

The UAE’s AI initiative is not limited to language models. Its tools span multiple sectors, empowering learning and cultural preservation:

• Historical Dictionary of Arabic Language: Originating in Sharjah, this digital dictionary now features over 20 million entries and includes advanced features such as text-to-video conversion.
  
• Digital Knowledge Hub: Managed by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, this platform offers access to over 800,000 titles and 8.5 million digital items, covering specialized collections across diverse disciplines.
  
• AI-Powered Arabic-English Dictionary: Launched by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, this tool combines clear definitions, pronunciation guides, grammar assistance, examples, and images, using advanced computational linguistics to make learning Arabic easier and more intuitive.

Arabic is spoken by hundreds of millions around the world. By integrating AI into education, research, and publishing, the UAE ensures that the language remains vibrant, evolving, and relevant. From classrooms to digital platforms, these innovations are transforming how people learn, read, and engage in Arabic—showcasing the UAE as a global leader in language technology and cultural stewardship.

Through AI, the UAE is not only protecting its linguistic heritage but also empowering a new generation of Arabic speakers to thrive in the digital age.