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LONDON: A new Arabic-language artificial intelligence model called Allam, created and trained in ��������, is set for launch this month, according to Tareq Amin, the CEO of the developer, tech company Humain.

He said it was built by a team of 40 Ph.D.-level researchers in the Kingdom, and described it as the best Arabic-language model yet developed for the 350 million people worldwide who speak the language, the majority of whom live in Arab countries.

“This is not just another large language model, it’s proof that the Arab world can innovate, train and deploy AI at a world-class level, according to our own standards,” Amin told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.

Allam was designed to understand classical forms of Arabic and regional dialects, he added. It can converse in the Saudi, Egyptian, Jordanian and Lebanese dialects, and understands cultural and political nuances.

The AI model will initially be available through Humain Chat, a free Arabic-language app similar to ChatGPT. Humain, which is part of ��������’s Public Investment Fund, said it has been tested for use in sensitive applications.

“ChatGPT will never have the datasets we do (to develop an Arabic AI),” Amin said. “I want the Arab world to start asking: Why don’t we build a coalition to create AI models that reflect our culture and values?”

The PIF established Humain to lead the Kingdom’s AI strategy, harnessing expertise from Aramco Digital and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority’s National Center for AI.

Amin said he views the launch of Allam as a starting point for ongoing improvement, fueled by user feedback from the Arab world. The company plans to create a marketplace through which developers and businesses can access the AI linguistic model, with a particular focus on government bodies and private-sector organizations in industries such as tourism and healthcare that rely heavily on Arabic for the provision of services.

“(Allam) is the spark that can shift the Middle East’s position in the global digital economy from consumer to creator of original platforms and products,” Amin said.

“We don’t yet have a complete AI ecosystem of developers and companies. We need to believe in our abilities, and the time is now.”

Amin considers AI as “the foundation upon which the entire” Saudi Vision 2023 plan for national development and diversification is being built across various sectors including tourism, healthcare and industry.

He praised Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s approach to AI as “both visionary and pragmatic,” treating the technology “not as an optional tool but as a necessity for economic growth, citizen empowerment and sector-wide adoption.”

Amin added that Allam is Humain’s flagship model and ultimately the success of the tech company will primarily stem from the people who are part of it, in particular the rich pool of Saudi AI talent.

“Some doubted whether we had the capabilities,” he said. “I told them: come and see for yourself.”

RIYADH: The King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre this week set a world record by performing 10 kidney exchange transplants in just 48 hours.

The achievement coincided with World Organ Donation Day, which falls on Aug. 13 and aims to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation.

Dr. Ehab Abufarhaneh, deputy executive director of the hospital’s Organ Transplant Center of Excellence, told Arab News: “KFSHRC performed the kidney exchange transplants over two consecutive days setting a global record. This happened with a great team led by Dr. Khaled Almashary and Dr.Tariq Ali of the department of kidney and pancreas transplant.

“This initiative opens a door for many patients who have no suitable donor.”

The KFSHRC said the record was for the highest number of such procedures conducted within a two-day span at a single center.

“This milestone reinforces the hospital’s position as a global leader in organ transplantation. It also reflects its high clinical readiness, the seamless coordination of its multidisciplinary medical teams and the advanced systems for managing donor-recipient matching, alongside its extensive experience in executing complex transplant procedures,” it said.

Paired kidney transplantation is an innovative approach where two or more incompatible donor-recipient pairs swap kidneys to achieve compatible transplants. The process significantly improves compatibility rates and offers hope to patients who face challenges in finding a suitable match within their families.

Last year, the KFSHRC celebrated another milestone with the completion of its 500th transplant since the program was launched in 2011. Since the creation of its organ transplantation program in 1981, it has successfully performed more then 5,000 kidney transplants, placing it among an elite group of global transplant centers.

Last year it conducted 80 pediatric kidney transplants, more than any other facility in the world for the period.

By leveraging its skilled workforce, advanced technologies and the integration of research and clinical programs, the KFSHRC aims to deliver world-class treatment while enhancing the Kingdom’s position as a leader in organ transplantation.

In 2023 and 2024 it ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa region and 15th globally on the list of the world’s top 250 academic medical centers and was last year recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East by Brand Finance rankings.

It also ranked among the world’s 250 best hospitals in 2024 and was included in Newsweek magazine’s list of best smart hospitals for 2025.