Sharjah Hosts First International Conference on AI and Linguistics
The first Sharjah International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Linguistics took place at the American University of Sharjah, in partnership with the Emirates Scholar Centre for Research and Studies. The event, held under the patronage of Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, gathered over 600 experts to discuss AI’s role in global communication and cultural preservation.
Key Highlights
Over two days, participants presented 100 papers and conducted 20 workshops. The conference emphasized AI’s transformative impact on linguistic studies and communication practices. Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi highlighted the event’s importance in establishing Sharjah as a research hub.
Notable Speakers
Speakers included Ahmed Fouad Hanno, Egypt’s Minister of Culture, and Ashraf El-Shihy, Egypt’s former Minister of Higher Education. Lorenzo Fanara, Italy’s Ambassador to the UAE, and Imed Zitouni from Google also contributed, discussing AI’s role in education and culture.
Agreements and Initiatives
The Emirates Scholar Centre signed MoUs with Badr University and the Abjjad Platform to enhance research collaboration. The digital and GPT editions of the Historical Arabic Dictionary were launched to preserve the Arabic language.
Recommendations and Concerns
Participants recommended using interactive tools and workshops to enhance engagement. Concerns were raised about AI’s potential to stifle creativity, urging cultural institutions to ensure factual accuracy.
Doubts Revealed
Sharjah -: Sharjah is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is known for its cultural heritage and is a center for arts and education.
International Conference -: An international conference is a large meeting where people from different countries come together to discuss a specific topic. In this case, the topic was Artificial Intelligence and Linguistics.
AI -: AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. It is a technology that allows computers to think and learn like humans. AI is used in many areas, like smartphones, robots, and even in games.
Linguistics -: Linguistics is the study of languages. It looks at how languages work, how they are structured, and how people use them to communicate.
American University of Sharjah -: The American University of Sharjah is a university located in Sharjah, UAE. It offers various programs and is known for its focus on research and education.
Cultural preservation -: Cultural preservation means keeping and protecting the traditions, languages, and customs of a culture so they are not lost over time.
Research collaboration -: Research collaboration is when different people or groups work together to study and learn more about a topic. It helps in sharing ideas and resources to make better discoveries.
Interactive tools -: Interactive tools are digital or physical tools that allow people to engage and participate actively. They can include apps, games, or workshops that make learning more fun and effective.
Stifle creativity -: To stifle creativity means to stop or limit someone’s ability to think of new and original ideas. There is a concern that too much reliance on AI might reduce human creativity.
Research hub -: A research hub is a place where a lot of research activities happen. It is a center for scientists and experts to work on new ideas and innovations.
