Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 hinges on digital transformation. Underlying its commitment, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and IBM have joined forces to launch an Arabic Large Language Model (LLM), ALLaM. 

Launched at Think Boston 2024, ALLaM marks a significant leap for Arabic language capabilities in AI development.

Businesses and government entities across the Middle East can now leverage the open-source model through IBM’s watsonx.ai studio. 

Watsonx offers industry-leading governance features, ensuring responsible deployment aligned with IBM’s ethical AI guidelines.

This development aligns with SDAIA’s global mission to empower the Arabic language and contribute to Saudi Vision 2030. 

ALLaM, allows users to ask questions in Arabic across various knowledge domains. Trained on one of the world’s largest Arabic datasets, supplemented by English content, the model can answer in text or audio format, drawing from trusted sources in the region.

“Since the announcement of ALLaM last year, our objective has been to enhance Arabic language capabilities within AI development, reinforcing the kingdom’s position as a global leader in AI,” said Dr. Esam Alwagait, Director of the National Information Center at SDAIA.

“This collaboration is a significant milestone in promoting Arabic within generative AI. It ensures that both public and private sectors can benefit from deploying Arabic language models, aligning with the cultural and linguistic needs of the region,” said Ayman AlRashed, Regional Vice President of IBM Saudi Arabia. “This progress empowers businesses across the kingdom and the broader Arab world with unique services and strengthens Saudi Arabia’s position as a leader in AI technology.”