How the UAE Is using artificial intelligence to build the world's largest Arabic language resources
The United Arab Emirates is spearheading an ambitious national strategy to preserve and modernise the Arabic language using artificial intelligence. From comprehensive digital dictionaries to AI-powered readability tools and homegrown language models, the UAE's cross-sectoral efforts aim to enhance Arabic's global digital presence while protecting its cultural and linguistic heritage.
Building a digital future for Arabic: National-level projects
The UAE has launched several initiatives across publishing, education, and technology sectors to digitise and modernise the Arabic language. These efforts are backed by prominent institutions, with government support driving integration of AI across platforms and tools.
Historical dictionary of the Arabic language:
Developed by the
Arabic Language Academy
in Sharjah, this project documents the evolution of Arabic through history. It consists of 127 volumes and includes over 20 million words. The dictionary is now available in a GPT-enabled interface, allowing users to explore its vast database interactively. Users can read, write, and even convert content into video, with regular updates and collaborative features enabled through a partnership with the Emirates Scholar Research Centre.
Digital Knowledge Hub:
Run by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, this initiative is a centralised platform for
digital Arabic content
. The Hub has collected 800,000+ titles and 8.5 million digital assets sourced from 18+ libraries. Its purpose is to consolidate Arabic knowledge in a structured digital format and expand global access to Arabic content.
AI-powered dictionary by Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre:
A landmark tool in digital publishing, this is the first Arabic-English AI dictionary of its kind. It features
7,000+ contemporary Arabic terms
AI-based automated pronunciation
Simplified, accessible definitions
Computational linguistics tools for precision and usability
These projects are setting a foundation for future Arabic language learning, content creation, and digital access at a global scale.
AI meets education and readability: Corpus and learning tools
The integration of AI into Arabic language education and research is another central pillar of the UAE's strategy.
BAREC (Balanced Arabic Readability Corpus):
Launched in 2023 by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre in partnership with New York University Abu Dhabi and Zayed University, this project aims to collect a 10 million-word linguistic corpus. It includes content from diverse genres and countries, focusing on text readability levels.
Key objectives of BAREC include:
Annotating the corpus using spelling, grammar, and vocabulary complexity
Enabling AI tools to automatically assess and classify text readability
Supporting Arabic language learning and improving reading comprehension
Open-sourcing the data for the research community to enhance Arabic linguistic tools
Readability, as a concept, plays a crucial role in language acquisition, academic performance, and tailored content delivery—especially important in educational settings.
Falcon Arabic
: UAE's homegrown AI language model
The Technology Innovation Institute (TII), under the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), is leading AI model development with a sharp focus on Arabic.
Falcon Arabic:
Unlike many large language models that rely on translated datasets, Falcon Arabic is built on native Arabic-language data, including Modern Standard Arabic and regional dialects. Its unique value lies in capturing linguistic nuances, cultural context, and regional variation more effectively.
Highlights of Falcon Arabic:
Competes with models up to 10x its size
Optimised for performance with reduced computational load
Developed entirely within the UAE, reinforcing data sovereignty and localisation
Falcon H1:
A more compact version that reportedly outperforms Meta and Alibaba's comparable models, Falcon H1 maintains high performance with lower technical requirements. Despite a strong start, Falcon models have faced user adoption and ranking challenges compared to global competitors like Meta and DeepSeek (China).
TII's broader mission includes AI, quantum computing, robotics, and more. Since its founding in May 2020, it has positioned Abu Dhabi as a regional R&D hub in next-gen tech.
Technology in publishing and international collaboration
The UAE's publishing industry is being reimagined with AI at its core.
Digital square at Abu Dhabi international Book fair:
This new initiative showcases how technology—particularly AI—is reshaping publishing. The space functions as an innovation zone, highlighting the digital transformation of literature, academic texts, and learning materials.
AI in classrooms:
Educational institutions across the UAE are integrating AI tools in Arabic language instruction. The goal is to future-proof learning environments by combining traditional language preservation with modern digital competency.
International partnerships:
A major milestone was an AI agreement signed during U.S. President Donald Trump's visit, facilitating Emirati access to advanced American AI semiconductors. This deal has strategic implications, empowering UAE's domestic AI development.
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