RIYADH: Arabic large language models, or ALLaM, will boost the regional capabilities of artificial intelligence and improve productivity for app developers, according to a Microsoft executive.
His comments came after the announcement that the Saudi-developed ALLaM would be hosted on Microsoft’s Azure platform.
“For Arab developers and people who are developing applications in the Arabic(-speaking) world, there will be a fidelity and an improvement of the operational output that would not come from using some of the other language models,” Antony Cook, deputy general counsel at Microsoft, told Arab News on the sidelines of the Global AI Summit in Riyadh on Wednesday.
Localized language models like ALLaM are “really the way to release the opportunity of AI much more broadly,” Cook explained.
“I think one of the things we’re focused on as a company is making sure that there is a range of models that are available on the Azure platform that really then meet the different social and business opportunities that exist.”
ALLaM was developed by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority with the intention of enhancing Arabic language AI services and inspiring innovation within the field across Saudi Arabia and internationally.
According to the Arabic massive multi-task language understanding — a standardized test to assess AI performance — ALLaM secured first place in its category.
The language model was developed within the National Center for AI and is built and trained on Microsoft Azure’s robust infrastructure.
The decision to have ALLaM available on Azure emphasizes its advanced capabilities in understanding and generating Arabic content across multiple channels, according to the announcement.
Cook went on to describe the “tremendous work that was put into developing the ALLaM large language model,” saying that “it will have a fidelity that will enable services to be delivered and applications to be built leveraging the large language model, which we’re very excited about.”
Dr. Mishari Al-Mishari, deputy director of SDAIA, said in a statement: “ALLaM represents a significant milestone in our journey towards AI excellence.
“With the general availability on Azure, we are not only expanding access to this powerful language model and advancing AI innovation, but also ensuring that the Arabic language and culture are deeply embedded in this technological evolution.
“Our collaboration with Microsoft marks a significant step forward in our journey to empower government institutions in the Kingdom to effectively leverage the latest advancements in generative AI to enhance public services and improve the quality of life for all.”
Turki Badhris, president of Microsoft Arabia, said that this is a landmark moment in the region and that they are “thrilled to be working alongside our partners at SDAIA to provide a robust platform that supports the development and deployment of advanced AI models tailored to the Arabic language and culture.
“Together, we are paving the way for a new era of AI advancements, collaborations and empowerment in the Kingdom and beyond.”
Badhris also said the AI transformation will help people, nongovernmental organizations, and businesses in all industries to unlock their full potential.
The collaboration between SDAIA and Microsoft also includes the establishment of a center of excellence to expedite the development of AI solutions and the launch of a Microsoft AI academy aimed at harnessing national talent and broadening expertise in the AI sector.
“I think the part that the Kingdom is doing very well is that marriage of aspiration, having a body that can actually orchestrate and implement that across government, and then at the same time, learning from what is going on elsewhere, but adapting that very specifically to what is most important and most relevant in Saudi,” Cook said.
“When I look at AI, one of the parts that is really important is to build confidence that the technology is being used in responsible ways.
“That’s something at Microsoft that we’ve focused on really from the very start of AI and have accelerated our work as generative AI became so prevalent.
“The Kingdom also has done a great job in this. You know, they’ve set out, through SDAIA’s work, the work around ethical principles.
“And the ethical principles underline the way in which the true ethical considerations can be then actually implemented into the practices that are responsible for the development of the technology.”
The GAIN Summit, currently in its third edition, is running from Sept. 10-12 at Riyadh’s King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.
