How a Saudi language processing center is using AI to improve machine interaction with Arabic

How a Saudi language processing center is using AI to improve machine interaction with Arabic
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Updated 13 December 2024
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How a Saudi language processing center is using AI to improve machine interaction with Arabic

How a Saudi language processing center is using AI to improve machine interaction with Arabic
  • The Artificial Intelligence Center for Arabic Language Processing is bridging the gap between technology and one of the world’s most spoken languages
  • The center’s five advanced labs provide resources for researchers developing AI applications for Arabic, says KSGAAL’s linguistic computing head

RIYADH: Experts at the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language are leveraging artificial intelligence to advance machine interactions with Arabic — one of the most widely spoken languages on the planet, yet one largely neglected by the tech world.

A key initiative is the Artificial Intelligence Center for Arabic Language Processing in Riyadh, which focuses on driving innovations in language technology.

The first of its kind dedicated to Arabic natural language processing, the center utilizes and advances AI techniques to develop cutting-edge scientific tools, research methodologies and computer applications that enhance interactions with the Arabic language across various platforms and technologies.

Natural language processing, or NLP, is a subfield of AI that bridges the gap between human communication, spoken or written, and machine understanding. It enables computers to understand human languages and generate text and speech in a natural way by combining computational linguistics with statistical modeling, machine learning, and deep learning.

Abdullah Al-Fifi, head of the linguistic computing department at KSGAFAL, said the Arabic Intelligence Center aims to empower researchers and developers to harness advanced technologies for processing the Arabic language. It also seeks to create applications, tools, and programs that contribute to preserving and advancing the Arabic language.

The center, launched in late April, comprises five advanced labs that work on developing AI applications tailored to Arabic, he told Arab News.

Among these is the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, dedicated to developing cutting-edge technologies like language assistants, which are smart tools designed for precise interaction with languages. It also focuses on enhancing the abilities of intelligent systems to analyze and comprehend Arabic texts with high accuracy.

The Data Preparation and Linguistic Resources Building Laboratory collects, classifies and labels linguistic data to serve as a primary resource for improving Arabic language processing in intelligent systems. It employs various techniques to ensure the data’s quality and reliability for research and technical applications.

Another key lab, the Virtual and Augmented Reality Laboratory, advances innovative technologies to enhance the Arabic language learning experience. It develops educational and entertainment software using virtual reality, enabling unconventional applications of Arabic in modern digital environments.

The Audio and Visual Laboratory develops speech recognition and pronunciation technologies. It focuses on recording, processing, storing and classifying audio data using advanced techniques to ensure precise voice interaction with the Arabic language.

A key aspect of the Arabic Intelligence Center is also the Researchers’ Laboratory, which provides a comprehensive research environment with dedicated spaces for computational linguistics researchers. It is designed to support advanced research focused on developing AI technologies specialized in the Arabic language.

Researcher Abdullah Al-Maadi told Arab News that “the Arabic Intelligence Center has had a significant impact on my training journey at KSGAFAL” and added: “It provided me with a supportive environment for growth, in addition to offering real-world data that could be tested. The center also enabled the development of products to be applied to actual robots.”

Raghad Al-Rasheed, who is also a researcher, said the center gave her the opportunity “to capitalize on the expertise of specialists, helping me enhance my knowledge and develop my research skills.”

“The center actively contributed to supporting our research by providing the necessary equipment and data to complete the work,” she told Arab News, adding that it also offered her a dedicated space to meet all her needs while working on her project, Areeb.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The Arabic Intelligence Center is the first to specialize in automated Arabic language processing using AI technologies.

• A key challenge in using AI for Arabic is its linguistic diversity, requiring accurate models to accommodate both classical and colloquial forms.

• Arabic is the fifth most widely spoken language globally and the fourth most used online.

The Arabic Intelligence Center is aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, particularly the National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence, which aims to establish the Kingdom as a global leader in these fields.

It seeks to pioneer the use of AI for the Arabic language and provide integrated services that empower users to enhance its global prominence.

The establishment of this center underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to employing AI and data-driven strategies to strengthen the prominence of the Arabic language in an age of advanced technologies, said KSGAFAL Secretary-General Abdullah Al-Washmi.

He added the center has strengthened Arabic’s global position by using modern technologies that help the language adapt to ongoing developments through its advanced labs.

The Arabic language is spoken by around 422 million people worldwide, including 313 million native speakers, according to the International Center for Language Studies. It is the fifth most widely spoken language globally and the fourth most used online, according to Internet World Stats.

 


Saudi leaders congratulate Karol Nawrocki on winning Poland’s presidential elections

Saudi leaders congratulate Karol Nawrocki on winning Poland’s presidential elections
Updated 45 min 24 sec ago
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Saudi leaders congratulate Karol Nawrocki on winning Poland’s presidential elections

Saudi leaders congratulate Karol Nawrocki on winning Poland’s presidential elections

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman each sent a cable of congratulations to Karol Nawrocki after winning Poland’s presidential elections on Monday.

The King and Crown Prince wished the president success in his duties and the Polish people further progress and prosperity, the Saudi Press Agency said.

Nawrocki won 50.89% of votes in a very tight race against Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, who received 49.11%.


Drones delivering Hajj medicine years in the making, Saudi health minister tells Arab News

Drones delivering Hajj medicine years in the making, Saudi health minister tells Arab News
Updated 15 min 27 sec ago
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Drones delivering Hajj medicine years in the making, Saudi health minister tells Arab News

Drones delivering Hajj medicine years in the making, Saudi health minister tells Arab News
  • Authorities say the initiative will cut delivery times for medical supplies from an average of 90 minutes to just 6 minutes

MAKKAH: A new service to transport medicine using drones during Hajj is a result of two years of intensive studies and experiments, Saudi Arabia’s health minister told Arab News on Monday.

“This modern technology aims to deliver medicines on a large scale during the Hajj season while reducing the time required to deliver medical supplies to just six minutes, compared to 90 minutes using ground transportation,” Saudi Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel said. 

The service will remove obstacles faced by medicine deliveries, the minister said, such as those caused by vehicular and human congestion at the holy sites, where nearly 1.25 million pilgrims are expected to gather to take part in the Hajj, a key pillar of Islam, which begins on June 4 and continues until June 9.

Al-Jalajel said trials over the past two years allowed for system safety testing, including ensuring that high temperatures, which can get unbearably hot at pilgrimage locations, do not damage the medicine. 

The drones are equipped with precise cooling systems and are subjected to multiple temperature tests during takeoff and landing, he said.

The drone initiative is part of the comprehensive healthcare transformation taking place in the  Kingdom, under the Saudi Vision 2030 program, which seeks to reform the country, including developing healthcare services for residents and visitors.

“One of the most notable achievements of this transformation is the establishment of the Seha Virtual Hospital, the largest in the world according to the Guinness World Records.”

The virtual hospital, which is linked to the Kingdom’s Sehaty health app, serves more than 200 hospitals, and is accessible to all individuals in Saudi Arabia without exception.

“The Kingdom is applying advanced technologies in the fields of robotic surgery, stroke management, and the use of artificial intelligence in health services, reflecting the serious trend towards digitizing the health sector,” Al-Jalajel said.

These experiences, the minister said, have also become a source of inspiration for many countries around the world that seek to learn about and benefit from them.

The health ministry will continue to anticipate global health challenges and provide pioneering and appropriate solutions, Al-Jalajel said, promising that pilgrims will witness the use of more advanced technologies during Hajj in the coming years.


4,900 train journeys and 2m passengers expected on holy sites metro over 7 days of Hajj

4,900 train journeys and 2m passengers expected on holy sites metro over 7 days of Hajj
Updated 02 June 2025
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4,900 train journeys and 2m passengers expected on holy sites metro over 7 days of Hajj

4,900 train journeys and 2m passengers expected on holy sites metro over 7 days of Hajj
  • 3,314 flights from 238 destinations in 71 countries have arrived in the Kingdom so far ahead of the annual pilgrimage, transport officials
  • Vehicles equipped with AI scan 7,400km of Kingdom’s roads to help improve safety and ensure necessary maintenance is carried out

RIYADH: Trains on the Al-Mashaaer Al-Mugaddassah Metro Line are expected to complete a total of 4,900 journeys, carrying up to 2 million passengers, in the space of just seven days during Hajj.

The metro, known in English as the Sacred Sites Train Line, is a high-capacity rail system in Makkah that operates for only seven days a year, during Hajj, as a shuttle service to take pilgrims to and from holy sites.

Offering insights on Monday into the transportation systems that will serve pilgrims, Saleh Al-Zuwaid, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services, said comprehensive preparations have been taking place ahead of the annual pilgrimage across all travel sectors, including air, land, sea and logistics.

The spokespersons reaffirmed their commitment to providing the best possible services and encouraged pilgrims to adhere to official guidelines designed to enhance their experiences and ensure their safety. (Supplied)

“So far, 3,314 flights from 238 destinations in 71 countries, via 62 air carriers, have arrived in the Kingdom,” he said.

There has been a 75 percent increase in the number of trips on Haramain High Speed Railway, compared with last year, he added, and a “Hajj without Luggage” initiative allows pilgrims arriving in Saudi Arabia to travel to Makkah by train while their luggage is transported separately for convenience.

In addition, more than 25,000 buses have been provided to ensure the safe and comfortable movement of pilgrims, backed by an extensive inspections process, he said.

The latest technology, including artificial intelligence, is also being deployed to enhance transportation, Al-Zuwaid said. A fleet of vehicles equipped with AI is scanning the Kingdom’s roads, from arrival ports to the holy sites, to help improve safety and ensure necessary maintenance is carried out. This year, these advanced technologies have helped to maintain 7,400 kilometers of roads leading to the holy sites.

Detailing advances in digital infrastructure, Saad Al-Shanbari, a spokesperson for Hajj communications and technology, said that 4G and 5G coverage in Makkah, Madinah and at the holy sites now exceeds 99 percent, with significant increases in internet speeds.

More than 10,500 Wi-Fi access points have been installed to enrich the digital experience for pilgrims, he added, and AI-powered crowd-management and specialized communication systems have been implemented in collaboration with Aramco Digital, to help ensure a reliable digital experience throughout Hajj season.

The spokespersons reaffirmed their commitment to providing the best possible services and encouraged pilgrims to adhere to official guidelines designed to enhance their experiences and ensure their safety.

Hajj begins on Wednesday, June 4, and will continue until Monday, June 9.

 


Saudi foreign minister discusses regional developments with US counterpart

Saudi foreign minister discusses regional developments with US counterpart
Updated 02 June 2025
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Saudi foreign minister discusses regional developments with US counterpart

Saudi foreign minister discusses regional developments with US counterpart
  • Phone call on Monday with Marco Rubio

RIYADH: Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Kingdom’s foreign minister, discussed the latest regional developments in a phone call on Monday with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The minister focused on Saudi-American ties, the strategic partnership, and international issues, the Saudi Press Agency reported.


Drama therapy workshop in Jeddah explores healing power of expression

Psychologist Lujain Faqerah and actor Abdul Al-Shareef, center, with attendees at the drama therapy workshop in Jeddah.
Psychologist Lujain Faqerah and actor Abdul Al-Shareef, center, with attendees at the drama therapy workshop in Jeddah.
Updated 02 June 2025
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Drama therapy workshop in Jeddah explores healing power of expression

Psychologist Lujain Faqerah and actor Abdul Al-Shareef, center, with attendees at the drama therapy workshop in Jeddah.
  • Faqerah told Arab News: “Drama is integrated naturally in our daily responses and situations

JEDDAH: A drama therapy workshop was recently organized under the theme: “In drama we find the power to express, and in expression we find the power to heal,” at Cinema Al-Balad in Jeddah.

Led by Lujain Faqerah, senior psychologist and creative arts supervisor, in collaboration with actor and screenwriter Abdul Al-Shareef, the workshop explored the use of drama therapy in daily life and creative work.

Participants, including therapists, creatives, and others, learned how drama can support emotional awareness, healing, and connection.

The workshop showed how drama-based therapeutic techniques can help people access unconscious behaviors, foster self-expression, and improve creative practices such as screenwriting and acting.

Faqerah told Arab News: “Drama is integrated naturally in our daily responses and situations. In a therapeutic setting, it helps us observe these interactions and reflect on a deeper level of our unconscious body gestures and movements that might reveal a lot about our personalities.”

She made it clear that drama therapy is not about performing but about expressing what lies beneath — emotions, memories, or internal conflicts.

Faqerah said: “The word drama has a negative connotation to the extent that people reject it before trying. Drama therapy does not depend on acting skills or previous experience, but more on your self-expression and the challenges you experience.”

Her discovery of drama therapy was transformative. “It surprised me with the appearance of a hidden part of me that is more bold and confident. When this part emerged and I saw the benefits myself, I started incorporating it in my profession.”

Al-Shareef brought a creative perspective as an actor and screenwriter new to drama therapy but interested in its techniques.

“As an actor and a writer, I found this experiment with drama supervision and therapy fascinating. It’s a tool that I am willing to explore and learn more about to enhance my life and practice,” he said.

“Some people may think drama therapy is exclusively for artists, but it’s not. The techniques can be integrated into everyday routines, varying from person to person depending on their challenges.”