The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) co-organized the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Linguistics, hosted by the Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, and held by the American University of Sharjah, in cooperation with the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the UAE Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.

The opening of the conference, on Thursday, October 17, 2024, saw the presence of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, and Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of the American University, as well as a number of experts and specialists, who enriched the discussion on the intersection between artificial intelligence and natural language processing, and shed light on various topics such as the government strategy for language intelligence and culture, in addition to language, culture and identity in the digital age.

During the session on “AI and the future of language learning: innovations and impact”, Dr. Kais Hammami, Director of ICESCO’s Center of Strategic Foresight and Artificial Intelligence, gave a presentation on how AI technologies can contribute to the development of language learning methodologies. He also discussed the ethical challenges of integrating AI into education and its potential to improve language proficiency assessments.

In the session on “AI-assisted multilingualism”, Dr. Majdi Haj Ibrahim, Head of ICESCO’s Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers, emphasized the pivotal role of AI in promoting multilingualism in the era of globalization, and highlighted in his presentation the opportunities and challenges of using AI technologies to develop language learning, translation and communication among diverse linguistic groups.

In parallel with the two-day conference sessions, ICESCO had a special stand to introduce participants and visitors to the Organization’s efforts and programs in the field of artificial intelligence and education, and the activities of the Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers in placing Arabic in the prestigious position it deserves.