Latest news with #Arabic-speaking
CairoScene
14 hours ago
- Business
- CairoScene
Wittify.ai Raises $1.5M to Advance Arabic-First Conversational AI
The Saudi platform is developing Arabic-native speech tech covering over 25 dialects, with integrations for businesses across channels. Jul 16, 2025 a Saudi-based conversational AI startup, has secured $1.5 million in pre-seed funding from a group of angel investors and business leaders in the Kingdom. Founded in 2024, the company is developing an Arabic-first voice and text AI platform with a strong focus on natural speech, regional dialects, and enterprise-grade integrations. Now live in beta, Wittify's platform allows businesses to create multimodal AI agents - text, voice or both - that can be embedded into websites, social media platforms, CRM systems and call centres. The platform's emphasis on cultural fluency and linguistic accuracy is tailored to the specific demands of Arabic-speaking users, while remaining scalable for global application. Beyond conversational logic, Wittify is investing in core Arabic-native speech technologies, including automatic speech recognition (ASR) and text-to-speech (TTS), capable of handling more than 25 regional dialects. The aim is to deliver natural, human-like interactions that are locally intuitive yet powered by advanced AI models. The startup is currently supported by three accelerator programmes and positions itself as an AI-native venture building for long-term regional impact.
Campaign ME
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Campaign ME
Twitch connects Arabic-speaking communities with new feature
Twitch, the interactive live streaming service, has announced the global launch of its Arabic Right-to-Left (RTL) experience- introducing a fully localised interface for Arabic-speaking streamers and viewers across both web and mobile interfaces. This launch marks a significant step in Twitch's commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and community growth in one of the most vibrant and fastest-growing regions for live content. ''Launching Arabic RTL reflects our commitment to building a service where streamers from every background can thrive,'' said Dan Clancy, CEO of Twitch. 'By delivering Arabic RTL, we're enabling access, and supporting streamers to build vibrant communities in their own language. Our long-term vision is to localise with purpose and invest in the people behind the content. We've seen incredible growth across the Arabic-speaking world, and we're excited to continue investing in the tools that support community, creativity, and connection across the region.' Streamers across MENA are welcoming the update as a meaningful step toward recognition and inclusion. Saudi Arabia–based Twitch Partner Meshael MR said, 'This update makes Twitch feel more like home. It removes barriers for new streamers and shows that Twitch sees our community and is building with us.' The Arabic RTL interface enables full right-to-left navigation across Twitch's desktop and mobile services. Arabic language settings are now available to users globally and can be activated via account settings or by adjusting device language preferences. Further localisation – notifications and emails – is expected to roll out in Q3 and Q4 of this year. The update comes at a time of strong momentum for Twitch across the MENA region. In 2024 alone, viewers in MENA spent more than 209 million hours watching content on Twitch – a testament to its growing relevance among Arabic-speaking audiences. The top categories in the region include Just Chatting, Valorant, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, and Overwatch 2. As esports viewership continues to grow across the region, Twitch remains a key service for fans and players alike. The Arabic RTL experience also aligns with the region's rapidly expanding gaming economy, which is forecast to surpass $6 billion by 2027, driven by national digital strategies and youth-led innovation.
CairoScene
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Streaming Platform Twitch Launches Right-to-Left Arabic Interface
Twitch has rolled out a full Arabic right-to-left interface across its web and mobile platforms, offering users in the Middle East and North Africa a more accessible and localised experience. Jul 15, 2025 Streaming platform Twitch has launched a right-to-left (RTL) Arabic interface across its web and mobile platforms, expanding accessibility for Arabic-speaking users worldwide. The update provides a fully localised user experience, allowing native Arabic navigation through account or device settings. The RTL update is part of Twitch's broader localisation strategy aimed at improving usability for streamers and viewers in regions where Arabic is the primary language. Additional Arabic-language features, including localised notifications and emails, are set to follow later this year. The update also reflects Twitch's growing focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), a region that saw more than 209 million hours of Twitch content viewed in 2024. Popular categories in the region include 'Just Chatting', 'Valorant', 'League of Legends', 'Counter-Strike' and 'Overwatch 2'. Arabic-speaking streamers have long advocated for better linguistic support. The new interface addresses a key gap in the platform's accessibility tools, making it more approachable for first-time users and supporting grassroots content creation across the region. The launch coincides with rapid growth in the MENA gaming sector, which is expected to exceed $6 billion by 2027. This growth is driven by a combination of youthful demographics, rising esports participation, and national investments in digital infrastructure. Globally, Twitch continues to lead the live-streaming market, with over 655 million hours watched in 2024 and more than 60% market share. The company's new Arabic RTL rollout underscores its effort to match expansion with meaningful inclusion.
CairoScene
2 days ago
- Business
- CairoScene
Saudi AI Firm Lucidya Raises $30 Million to Scale Its Arabic Platform
The platform helps businesses and government entities understand and respond to customer feedback in real time, offering analytics tools that are compliant with data protection laws. Jul 15, 2025 Saudi Arabia-based AI startup Lucidya has raised $30 million in a Series B funding round to scale its customer experience management (CXM) platform and Arabic-language AI capabilities. The round was led by Impact46 and supported by several regional investors. Founded in 2016, Lucidya uses proprietary AI models to analyse customer sentiment and engagement across 15 Arabic dialects. Its platform helps businesses and government entities understand and respond to customer feedback in real time, offering analytics tools that are fully compliant with local and international data protection laws. With this latest investment, Lucidya aims to expand its presence across the GCC and broader MENA region, while enhancing its Arabic-first AI agents. These tools automate customer support and engagement, offering tailored responses in Arabic with up to 92% sentiment detection accuracy. The funding will also support product development and hiring as Lucidya looks to deepen its foothold in key sectors including telecommunications, banking, healthcare, and hospitality. Lucidya previously raised $6 million in a Series A round in 2022. The new investment reflects growing interest in regional AI infrastructure and localised tech solutions, particularly those tailored to Arabic-speaking users.
Broadcast Pro
3 days ago
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
Twitch launches Arabic RTL interface to expand accessibility
Dan Clancy, CEO of Twitch, said: 'Launching Arabic RTL reflects our commitment to building a service where streamers from every background can thrive. By delivering Arabic RTL, we're enabling access, and supporting streamers to build vibrant communities in their own language. Our long-term vision is to localize with purpose and invest in the people behind the content. We've seen incredible growth across the Arabic-speaking world, and we're excited to continue investing in the tools that support community, creativity, and connection across the region.' The newly launched Arabic RTL interface allows users to navigate the platform in full right-to-left orientation. Arabic can now be selected as a language setting globally, either through account preferences or device language configurations. Additional localised features, including notifications and email updates, are expected to launch in Q3 and Q4 2025. The update comes at a time of surging engagement across the MENA region. In 2024 alone, Twitch recorded over 209m hours of viewership from MENA audiences, signaling a dramatic rise in popularity. Top content categories in the region include Just Chatting, Valorant, League of Legends, Counter-Strike and Overwatch 2, reflecting a diverse mix of competitive gaming and casual, conversational content. Twitch also continues to dominate the global streaming space, with over 655m hours watched worldwide in 2024 and more than 60% of the global market share for live gaming content. The Arabic RTL interface aligns with broader trends in the region's digital landscape, where the gaming economy is projected to exceed $6bn by 2027, fueled by national innovation strategies and a growing youth demographic. The launch has been met with enthusiasm from regional creators. Saudi-based Twitch Partner Meshael MR welcomed the move, and stated: 'This update makes Twitch feel more like home. It removes barriers for new streamers and shows that Twitch sees our community and is building with us.' As Twitch continues to grow its global presence, the Arabic RTL interface serves as a reaffirmation of its mission to support creative communities and celebrate cultural diversity. By enhancing access and visibility for Arabic-speaking users, the platform reinforces its dedication to inclusive growth in one of the most dynamic markets for digital entertainment.
