Tieup sees AD centre use Alexa to support Arabic

The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) and Amazon Alexa have signed a content licensing agreement to enable the use of the Centre’s Arabic-language content and make it available to users through Alexa voice assistant services in the UAE and KSA.

This strategic partnership is a key outcome of the Congress of Arabic & Creative Industries (Congress ACI), the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre’s flagship platform dedicated to showcasing Arabic creativity and advancing the Arab cultural and creative sectors.

Amazon Alexa’s participation in last year’s edition laid the foundation for this collaboration, highlighting Congress ACI’s pivotal role in driving sustainable, high-impact initiatives and fostering strategic partnerships that amplify the presence and influence of the Arabic language on a global scale.

Dr. Ali Bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, described the agreement with Amazon Alexa as a significant step in the Centre’s efforts to expand the use of the Arabic language, and to harness advancements in technology and artificial intelligence to reinforce its position as a global language of culture, science, and innovation.

“Arabic remains one of the most dynamic and adaptable living languages, with the ability to contribute across both functional and creative fields. This strategic partnership, which provides users access to Arabic content through two of the Centre’s leading digital initiatives – the Poetry Encyclopaedia and the Digital Lexicon – will have a profound impact on enriching Arabic digital content and bringing its vast treasures closer to tens of millions of users around the world,” said Dr. Bin Tamim.

Dr. Raf Fatani, Regional General Manager, Alexa, Amazon MENA, said: “At Amazon, we believe in the power of voice technology to preserve and promote cultural heritage, while making daily interactions more natural and accessible. Our collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre represents a significant step in our ongoing commitment to Arabic language development and localisation.