During the inauguration of Arabic Artificial Intelligence Large Language Model (LLM) “Fanar” at the opening of the two-day World Summit AI, HE the Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammed bin Ali al-Mannai said that this project represents a remarkable achievement that reflects Qatar’s commitment to enhancing the presence of the Arabic language and the Arabic and Islamic culture in the AI age, indicating that it comes as a result of fruitful co-operation between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Hamad Bin Khalifa University, a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.
Marking the occasion, HE al-Mannai said: “The Fanar project exemplifies Qatar’s commitment to supporting research projects and transforming them into strategic governmental initiatives that position Qatar as a leader in artificial intelligence and modern technologies. Fanar is not merely a digital project, but a comprehensive vision aimed at creating a global impact. It is an ambitious initiative that seeks to empower the Arab community with advanced tools that respect our cultural identity and contribute to achieving the Qatar National Vision 2030. In this context, I extend my gratitude to Qatar Foundation and the Qatar Computing Research Institute for their outstanding efforts in developing this ambitious project.”
For his part, President of Hamad Bin Khalifa University Dr Ahmad Hasnah emphasised the significance of the project, saying: “In line with Qatar National Vision 2030, Fanar is a further reflection of our university’s commitment to developing responses to challenges of national and global relevance which enhance the country’s prowess in the field of AI and related technologies based on the Arabic language. This can only be achieved by actively leveraging synergies with renowned partners like MCIT to facilitate expertise and build capacity in Qatar and the region.”
Fanar is a groundbreaking model developed to achieve an in-depth understanding of Arabic in all its dimensions, encompassing diverse dialects and cultural expressions.
It is built on an extensive database of more than 300bn words and over a trillion Arabic phonetic segments, enabling creative ability to generate, write, summarise, rephrase, or explain texts with exceptional efficiency. With an advanced technical architecture comprising 7bn parameters, it ensures flexible and rapid data processing.
The Fanar project marks a pivotal step in the advancement of modern Arabic technologies. The project began as an integrated research initiative within the Qatar Computing Research Institute and was later adopted and supported by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. The project aims to equip Qatari and Arab communities with cutting-edge AI tools tailored to their specific needs, aligning with the National AI Strategy and the Digital Agenda 2030, which prioritise digital innovation as the cornerstone of building a thriving digital economy.
Fanar aspires to establish a unique partnership with Arab users through its experimental version, allowing them to provide feedback and recommendations, making them integral to the development of future versions. This collaboration is a critical step toward creating a digital Arab society rooted in innovation and sustainable development. It aims to strengthen its partner network at both the Arab and regional levels to ensure the Arabic language thrives in the global digital future. This initiative is expected to inspire further innovations in education, media, and technology.
Five key contributors from national institutions, including the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs; Qatar National Library, which is based at Qatar Foundation’s Education City; Al Jazeera Channel; the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies; and Qatar University continuously enrich Fanar’s database with new information. The project also plans to expand its partner network regionally and globally.
HE Mohammed bin Ali al-Mannai
