We organized a full-day symposium (October 26, 2024) with the mm:museum as part of their exhibition "The limits of my language are the limits of my world" at Northwestern Qatar this year. Three panel discussions took place which we are bringing you in three episodes on their podcast. This is the second of the three where our experts delve into the nuances of Arabic Natural Language Processing (NLP) and its intersection with artificial intelligence (AI). Moderator Dr Wajdi Zaghwani who is an associate professor at Northwestern University Qatar, speaks with Salma Elkhaoudi – a PhD candidate at Stanford University focusing on the social impact of Arabic large language models – and Professor Nizar Habash – a leading expert in Arabic NLP at NYU Abu Dhabi. Topics covered include the challenges of developing Arabic AI models, the importance of preserving dialect diversity, and how AI influences cultural identity and language in digital spaces. The panel also touches on the ethical considerations of AI use, the role of academia and industry in advancing Arabic tech, and the importance of digital literacy in understanding AI's capabilities and limits.
00:00 Introduction
02:01 Meet our Panelists & Overview
03:09 Discussion on AI & Arabic Cultural Identity
05:34 Technological Evolution in NLP
07:24 Complexities of the Arabic Language
15:07 Technical & Cultural Challenges
24:44 Improving Arabic Representation
33:03 Preserving Arabic Richness
36:45 Fluency vs Accuracy in AI
44:56 Understanding Human vs Machine Intelligence
46:41 The Importance of AI Literacy & Future of Arabic AI
49:38 Challenges & Opportunities in Arabic AI
52:42 Balancing Fast Innovation With Cultural Sensitivity
01:07:19 Value in focusing on Fusha & Arabic Dialects
01:15:40 Open Q&A
Nizar Habash is a Professor of Computer Science at NYU Abu Dhabi and director of the CAMeL Lab, specializing in natural language processing and computational linguistics. His research focuses on machine translation, morphological analysis, and Arabic dialects. Author of Introduction to Arabic Natural Language Processing, and over 250 publications, he is a recipient of the King Salman Academy for Arabic Language Award (2022) and the Antonio Zampolli Prize (2024).
Connect with Nizar 👉 https://www.instagram.com/nizarhabash
Salma Elkhaoudi is a PhD candidate in the anthropology of science at Stanford University, with a focus on the development of Arabic-trained AI and its sociocultural implications in the Arab Gulf. Her research explores how ideas about the Arab past and future are being brought into relation with each other through AI. She has spent several years working as a technology and AI researcher in the United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Read more about the 2024 exhibition "The limits of my language are the limits of my world" 👉 https://mediamajlis.northwestern.edu/en/whats-on/exhibitions-programs/the-limits-of-my-language-are-the-limits-of-my-world-27-aug-2024-05-dec-2024
Connect with the mm:museum at Northwestern University Qatar 👉 https://www.instagram.com/themediamajlis/
Hosted by Wajdi Zaghouani 👉 https://x.com/wzaghouani
Wajdi Zaghouani is an associate professor at Northwestern University in Qatar, specializing in AI and computational linguistics with a focus on Arabic data analytics, social media analysis, fake news detection, and hate speech. He has secured over $6 million in research funding, primarily through competitive grants from the Qatar National Research Fund, including for projects like the MARSAD Social Media Observatory and Hate Speech Detection. With over 100 peer-reviewed publications, Zaghouani also serves as an associate editor for journals like Journal of Natural Language Engineering and Frontiers in AI.
Read more about mm:museum's 2024 exhibition "The limits of my language are the limits of my world" 👉 https://mediamajlis.northwestern.edu/en/whats-on/exhibitions-programs/the-limits-of-my-language-are-the-limits-of-my-world-27-aug-2024-05-dec-2024
Connect with the mm:museum at Northwestern University Qatar 👉 https://www.instagram.com/themediamajlis/
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» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/media-majlis-museum-podcast/id1763784587
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3p87MwQuJWOXG9X3h7NBuU
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1056900096
THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
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