Riyadh, November 7, 2024 – Teams from 17 countries have begun arriving at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, marking the start of the final stage of the prestigious ALLaM Challenge. The competition, which runs from Thursday, November 7, to Saturday, November 9, will take place at the Crowne Plaza Riyadh, bringing together over 600 male and female competitors representing 200 teams. In addition to the participants, more than 50 guides and 40 judges will be on hand, with total prizes valued at SAR 1 million.
The ALLaM Challenge, organized by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) in collaboration with the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones, is part of the Kingdom’s broader efforts to support and promote the Arabic language on both a regional and global scale. This initiative is closely aligned with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which underscores the significance of the Arabic language as an essential pillar of Saudi national identity and a key element of the country’s cultural heritage.
At its core, the ALLaM Challenge is designed to enhance the status of the Arabic language in the digital age by fostering the development of cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) models capable of comprehending and generating Arabic text. These models will focus on a range of linguistic tasks, from writing and understanding Arabic poetry to accurately parsing complex sentences and teaching Arabic to children in an interactive, engaging way. The challenge aims to not only advance AI technology but also ensure that Arabic is effectively integrated into various technological domains, making it more accessible and usable in digital environments.
The competition’s central focus is the development and enhancement of large language models (LLMs) specifically tailored to the Arabic language. By encouraging teams to build AI-driven solutions that can better understand and process Arabic, the event seeks to provide the Kingdom with high-quality Arabic data and tools that will enhance AI's capabilities across multiple industries. These AI models will be evaluated based on their sustainability, scalability, and real-world applicability, ensuring that the solutions developed during the challenge have the potential to transform into tangible, AI-driven projects that can serve the Arabic language across a wide range of sectors, including education, technology, and cultural preservation.
Participants in the ALLaM Challenge will have access to specialized training and workshops led by global AI experts and specialists in Arabic language fields. These sessions will provide valuable insights into the latest advancements in AI, as well as practical guidance on the development and deployment of AI systems that can handle the intricacies of the Arabic language. The event will also serve as a platform for fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing between participants from different countries, reinforcing the global nature of the challenge.
The ALLaM Challenge is held in partnership with major industry leaders such as IBM and the National Technology Development Program (NTDP), further highlighting the importance of international collaboration in advancing AI technologies for the Arabic-speaking world. As teams compete for the top prizes, the broader goal of the event is to raise global awareness about the need for high-quality Arabic AI resources and to contribute to the Kingdom’s efforts in positioning itself as a leader in the field of AI and language technology.
With its impressive scale and high stakes, the ALLaM Challenge promises to be a groundbreaking event that not only highlights the potential of AI in advancing the Arabic language but also sets the stage for future innovations in language technologies that will shape the future of digital communication and education in the Arab world and beyond.
