Abu Dhabi (Enmaeya News) — The United Arab Emirates has launched a new Arabic-focused artificial intelligence model, "Falcon Arabic," developed by the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) in Abu Dhabi, as part of the country's accelerating push to become a global AI leader.

Trained on high-quality native Arabic data, Falcon Arabic is designed to address long-standing gaps in AI accessibility for Arabic speakers. According to ATRC, the model delivers performance on par with systems ten times its size, offering both linguistic precision and computational efficiency.

The rollout also included "Falcon H1," a general-purpose AI model that ATRC says outperforms offerings from major global players like Meta and Alibaba, while requiring less computing power and technical expertise.

The dual announcement comes shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the region, during which he endorsed a bilateral AI agreement allowing the UAE to access advanced U.S.-made AI semiconductors—a move analysts see as a strategic boost to the UAE's AI infrastructure.

AI has taken center stage across the Gulf in recent months. Saudi Arabia, for example, recently unveiled plans to build one of the world’s most powerful multimodal Arabic language models, aiming to establish itself as a regional AI hub.

For the UAE, the launch of Falcon Arabic is part of a broader national strategy to lead in next-generation technology. Through targeted investments, international partnerships, and locally developed models, the Emirates is positioning itself at the forefront of the Arab world’s digital future.