MUDHI ALOBTHANI (ALETIHAD)
Investing in Arabic language infrastructure is essential to strengthening the Arab world's digital sovereignty, accelerating AI innovation and ensuring Arabic remains a language of knowledge, creativity and economic growth, according to Dr Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC).
His remarks came ahead of the 5th edition of the Congress of Arabic & Creative Industries, which will take place on September 20-21 at Manarat Al Saadiyat under the theme "Arabic as Infrastructure: Language, Identity & Economic Power in the Digital Age".
Organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, under the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, the congress will bring together policymakers, academics, technology leaders, investors and creatives to examine how strategic investment in Arabic language infrastructure can support innovation, artificial intelligence and the creative economy.
Dr Bin Tamim said Arabic is spoken by more than 450 million people, yet accounts for less than 1% of global digital content and AI training data, creating a gap that leaves millions of native speakers using technologies that do not fully understand the language or its cultural context.
"Viewing Arabic as infrastructure shifts the conversation from one of cultural preservation to one of long-term economic and technological investment," he said.
He said developing Arabic datasets, language models, digital tools, intellectual property systems and research capabilities would enable governments, universities and technology companies to build AI solutions that better reflect the linguistic and cultural realities of the Arab world.
"Ultimately, this is about digital sovereignty," Dr Bin Tamim said. "Countries that invest in their own linguistic infrastructure are better positioned to shape the technologies they use and rely on, rather than adapting systems built for other languages and markets."
The congress aims to foster regional collaboration by bringing together researchers, policymakers, technology experts and investors to develop practical solutions and partnerships that strengthen Arabic's role in the digital economy.
Addressing concerns that AI-generated content could dilute Arabic cultural identity, Dr Bin Tamim said technology should complement rather than replace human creativity.
"AI should be viewed as an enabler of human creativity rather than a replacement for it," he said. "The real challenge is ensuring that Arabic language, history, cultural references and creative traditions are embedded within the technologies being developed."
He said discussions at the congress would extend beyond AI to include intellectual property, education, creator support and language technologies, establishing an ecosystem that promotes authentic Arabic content while creating new opportunities for storytelling and innovation.
Looking ahead, Dr Bin Tamim said success would mean Arabic becoming fully integrated into education, entrepreneurship, technology and creative production rather than remaining an afterthought in the digital economy.
The congress will explore practical steps to achieve that vision, with participants discussing measurable milestones across education, technological innovation, intellectual property and the creative economy over the next five to 10 years.
"Our ambition is not simply to host another conference, but to help establish a shared roadmap for strengthening Arabic's role in the digital economy and ensuring it remains a language of knowledge, innovation and creativity for generations to come," he said.
Building on previous editions, this year's Congress of Arabic & Creative Industries expands its focus from promoting Arabic as a language of creativity to positioning it as critical infrastructure that supports knowledge production, artificial intelligence, innovation and economic development. Further details, including the programme and speakers, will be announced ahead of the event.