AI and Arabic: A Dialogue Still Unfolding

A helpful assistant, a time saver, a patient tutor, sometimes even an equal collaborator. For some, a supporter; for others, a threat. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been called all of these things, and perhaps it is, in fragments, each of them, depending on how we choose to see it and meet it. What is certain, however, is that AI is here to stay, and we need to get ready for it.

As in many fields, AI has arrived to a mixed reception in the field of language education. Many have welcomed it for the ways it can lighten the teacher’s load and give students new individualized forms of support.  While others have turned away from it, uneasy about its role in enabling shortcuts and in quietly eroding the very habits of critical thinking we try to cultivate. The case is not very different when it comes to Arabic language education.

Why AI Matters for Arabic

In the field of educational AI integration, Arabic stands apart with both opportunities and challenges. Its diglossia, the coexistence of Modern Standard Arabic and diverse dialects, requires students to learn different registers, to shift and adapt if they are to communicate meaningfully and authentically (Rahmouni, 2025). Here, AI holds promise. It has the potential to effectively and efficiently help bridge these long-standing gaps. But how, exactly, and in what ways?

The question resists an easy answer and the space here is too narrow to do it justice. Also, the scholarship is already vast and still expanding (Adawiyah, 2025; Hanandeh et al., 2024; Madwi, 2025; Rahmouni, 2024). More than that, the ground itself keeps shifting. AI tools evolve so quickly that any attempt at a complete answer risks becoming outdated before it is even written. Yet perhaps, if we look at it differently, this is less a limitation than an invitation; an invitation to imagine, to experiment, and to keep rethinking what Arabic learning might look like in an age of shifting possibilities. We might even wonder: what if, instead of asking what AI can do for Arabic, we begin to ask what Arabic, with all its richness, diversity and plurality, might teach AI?

While attempting to tackle these questions, we need to remember that promise always comes with responsibility. The reality is that -at least at the time of writing this blog- AI models sometimes mishandle Arabic grammar, mispronounce words, or misrepresent dialectal differences (Rahmouni, 2024). Also, Arabic remains underrepresented in many AI datasets, which limits the accuracy and depth of the tools available (Rhel & Roussinov, 2025). Even within Arabic, some dialects receive far more attention than others, leaving large parts of the linguistic map overlooked. Cultural representation can also be flattened, portraying “Arab culture” as a single, uniform entity instead of reflecting the diverse histories, traditions, and lived experiences across the Arab world.

Against this backdrop, it is crucial (at least for now) to shift AI from something that teachers or students might blindly rely on to a partner whose output is constantly examined and verified. To achieve this, we need to keep the human core of learning intact. AI can support, but it should never replace, the presence of real human interaction. Just as important is the role of educators, not only in learning how these tools work, but in guiding students to approach them with a critical eye (Chen et al., 2020). Digital literacy means asking questions, testing answers, and weighing AI outputs against authentic sources. The responsibility is collective, and so is the possibility.

Looking Ahead

The future of AI in Arabic education will be shaped not only by engineers, but also by speakers, learners, teachers, researchers, and cultural advocates. Its direction will depend on the choices we make…how we guide the tools, how we set the limits, and how we imagine their role in the classroom. Arabic is not only vocabulary and grammar. It is poetry and conversation, memory and imagination; it is a living archive of voices carried across generations. The task here is less about predicting and more about choosing: what kind of future do we want for Arabic in the age of AI?

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Qatar Foundation International (QFI). While QFI reviews guest contributions for clarity and to ensure the content is valuable for our audience, the accuracy and completeness of the information are the responsibility of the author.

References

Adawiyah, R. (2025). Implementing AI in Arabic language learning: Challenges. Al-Ishlah Journal: Pendidikan, 17(3).

Chen, L., Chen, P., & Lin, Z. (2020). Artificial intelligence in education: A review. IEEE Access, 8, 75264–75278. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2988510

Hanandeh, A., Ayasrah, S., Kofahi, I., & Qudah, S. (2024). Artificial Intelligence in Arabic linguistic landscape: Opportunities, challenges, and future directions. TEM Journal, 13(4), 3137–3145. https://doi.org/10.18421/TEM134-48

Madwi, F. H. M. (2025). Integrating artificial intelligence in Arabic language education: Challenges and opportunities. Dzil Majaz: Journal of Arabic Literature, 3(1), 45–55. https://doi.org/10.58223/dzilmajaz.v3i1.371

Rahmouni, K. (2024). Exploring the use of ChatGPT in teaching Arabic case endings: Effectiveness, challenges, and recommendations. Journal of Educational Technology and Innovation, 6(4). https://doi.org/10.61414/jeti.v6i4.198

Rahmouni, K. (2025). Advancing Arabic language education: Empowering teachers and promoting critical CALL through the Arabic Teachers Council. In E. Britton, A. Kraemer, T. Austin, H. Liu, & X. Zuo (Eds.), Advancing critical CALL across institutions and borders (pp. 217–239). University of Toronto Press.

Rhel, H., & Roussinov, D. (2025). Large language models and Arabic content: A review. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.08004