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Observer

Revolutionising Arabic in the Digital World

Arabic is one of the world's oldest and most beautiful languages, holding a profound cultural and religious significance across the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond. As one of the six official languages of the United Nations, it plays a vital role in global diplomacy and international relations. Despite its importance, Arabic content online makes up less than 1% of all digital information, highlighting a significant gap in digital accessibility for speakers and learners worldwide. This challenge is not unique to Arabic; many historically rich languages face similar hurdles amid rapid technological advancement. However, efforts to enhance Arabic's presence in the digital realm underscore a broader global movement towards linguistic diversity, cultural preservation, and inclusive communication. 3058901 Across the globe, countries and organizations are investing in digital initiatives to safeguard and promote their linguistic heritage. For instance, China has ramped up investments in Mandarin language technology, while India bolsters Hindi and other regional languages through AI-powered translation and speech recognition tools. Latin, a historic language of academia and religion, is also experiencing a digital renaissance by digitizing ancient texts and creating accessible learning platforms. These collective efforts demonstrate a worldwide recognition that digital integration is vital for sustaining linguistic diversity and fostering cross-cultural understanding. In this context, organizations like Ebanah, based in Oman, are pioneering efforts to harness advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) to support Arabic in the digital age. Their goal is to develop tools that make Arabic more accessible, useful, and engaging for users globally, whether they are scholars, students, or everyday learners. This approach not only preserves the language but also expands its reach—aligning with the global movement to digitize and democratize cultural heritage. Picture5 One of their flagship projects, Al Khalil, is an interactive online Arabic learning platform offering courses, tools, and rich content for learners of all ages. Similarly, Tashkeel, an AI-powered diacritic tool, helps add correct vocalization to Arabic text—an essential component for proper pronunciation and comprehension—boasting over 95% accuracy. These innovations support international efforts to make Arabic more functional in digital media, publishing, and education. Moreover, Ebanah has developed Arabic-enabled chatbots for institutions and businesses worldwide, enabling natural, real-time communication in Arabic. Such tools facilitate not only commerce and customer service but also contribute to intercultural dialogue and understanding—crucial elements in today's interconnected world. Of course, developing these technologies presents challenges. Arabic's rich morphology, complex grammar, and numerous dialects require high-quality, culturally authentic data to train effective AI models. As Salim Al Mnathari, CEO of Ebanah, emphasizes, 'AI should serve to support and enhance Arabic, not compromise its richness. Our goal is to develop solutions that respect the language's depth and tradition while making it more accessible in today's digital environment.' This sentiment reflects a global recognition that technological innovation must be culturally sensitive and inclusive. Picture7 International collaboration plays a critical role in these efforts. Ebanah partners with cultural, academic, and tech institutions worldwide to ensure their AI models accurately reflect genuine Arabic usage, emphasizing the importance of local linguistic expertise in global AI development. These partnerships are vital for developing reliable, culturally authentic tools that serve both regional and international needs. Picture9 Looking ahead, the future of Arabic in the digital space is promising, paralleling global movements to digitize and revitalize endangered and heritage languages. Technology alone cannot achieve this; it requires a supportive environment across education, media, governance, and business sectors. As the world progresses towards a more connected and inclusive digital era, Arabic's preservation and growth will contribute to cultural diversity and mutual understanding on a global scale. Ebanah's work exemplifies how innovative technology can be a powerful force for cultural preservation and modernization. By investing in smart solutions, fostering international collaboration, and respecting linguistic roots, they are helping Arabic not only maintain its historical richness but also thrive in the digital future. This approach aligns with global efforts to ensure that linguistic diversity remains a vital part of our digital and cultural landscape, demonstrating that language, technology, and culture can evolve hand-in-hand.