Riyadh, October 29, 2024 – The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) has made significant strides in promoting the Arabic language through a series of innovative initiatives that enhance its global presence and enrich Arabic content with advanced knowledge resources. These efforts align closely with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to solidify the Kingdom's leadership in the preservation and advancement of the Arabic language at local, regional, and international levels.
SDAIA's commitment to supporting the Arabic language was recently recognized with the prestigious 2024 King Salman Global Academy Award for Arabic Language, awarded in the Institutions category. This accolade acknowledges SDAIA's exceptional contributions to the field, particularly through the development of large-scale language models created entirely within the Kingdom. These models are tailored to address national generative AI needs while aspiring for global leadership in Arabic language technologies, trained on extensive datasets designed to reflect and serve the unique cultural and linguistic requirements of the Arabic-speaking world. Furthermore, SDAIA has established a robust, sovereign infrastructure to facilitate the local advancement of these models, ensuring the Kingdom maintains technological sovereignty.
Among SDAIA’s key initiatives is the launch of the "Balsam" Index, developed in collaboration with the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL). This index serves as a critical tool for assessing and benchmarking Arabic language models in the realms of data and AI. Introduced during the third edition of the Global AI Summit held in Riyadh from September 10 to 12, the index is part of a broader strategy to enhance Arabic language models in a rapidly evolving field. It plays a vital role in evaluating newly developed models that incorporate advanced features and capabilities.
In collaboration with KSGAAL, SDAIA also compiled a comprehensive glossary of data and AI terminology, featuring key terms in both Arabic and English. This resource aims to bridge language gaps and foster a better understanding of AI concepts within the Arabic-speaking community.
Among the standout AI products launched by SDAIA is the ALLaM model, the first Saudi-developed AI system designed to address user inquiries across various knowledge domains in Arabic. Developed by a team of national experts at the National Center for AI, which operates under the SDAIA umbrella, ALLaM represents a significant milestone in linguistic models for generative AI focused on the Arabic language. The creation of this model involved the collaboration of over 400 specialists and 160 government agencies, culminating in the assembly of the largest Arabic dataset globally, comprising over 500 billion Arabic text units.
Additionally, SDAIA has published various reports and studies aimed at enriching Arabic content with AI concepts and applications, as well as raising community awareness about the role of AI in advancing multiple sectors.
Through these comprehensive efforts, SDAIA reaffirms its commitment to supporting, preserving, and promoting the Arabic language on a global scale, showcasing the Kingdom’s dedication to innovation and cultural heritage.