Riyadh: The Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) is fully prepared to launch the final stage of the ALLaM Challenge competitions on Thursday, with 600 male and female participants representing 200 teams from 17 countries. The event, organized in collaboration with the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones, will take place over three days at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Riyadh’s Digital City.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the ALLaM Challenge aims to develop artificial-intelligence (AI) models capable of writing and comprehending Arabic poetry, accurately parsing sentences, and engagingly teaching children the Arabic language. The challenge reflects Saudi Arabia’s endeavors to promote the Arabic language, particularly in technical spheres, by offering high-quality data in Arabic and creating AI models proficient in handling the language effectively.

This global competition is conducted in partnership with IBM and the National Technology Development Program (NTDP), bringing together more t
han 50 mentors and over 40 adjudicators, comprising experts and specialists in AI and Arabic language. The professionals will support participating teams, assess their projects based on judicial criteria ensuring the sustainability of proposed solutions, and their conversion into tangible AI-driven projects benefiting the Arabic language across diverse domains.

The ALLaM application, featured on IBM’s Watsonx platform, stands as a pivotal generative linguistic AI model catering to Arabic speakers worldwide. The initiative is part of SDAIA’s ongoing efforts to enhance national capabilities in the realm of data and AI.