Bahrain’s Tamkeen, labour Fund, will help the employment of 70 Bahrainis at the Bahrain-based Arabic Digital Research Institute (ADRI) over the next three years – with 40 of them already employed to date.

This collaboration aims to upskill local talent and enhance Tamkeen’s position for AI research in the kingdom while finding solutions that will serve the public and private sectors.

“We prioritise creativity and innovation, especially in emerging fields such as AI,” said Tamkeen chief executive Maha Mofeez, according to Bahrain News Agency.

“That is why we are keen on supporting initiatives such as ADRI which uses technology to bridge the gap in digital Arabic content.

“Companies that facilitate the exchange of information and research are an important part of Bahrain’s business environment, as they encourage innovation and help sustainable economic growth,” she added.

ADRI is a leading innovator specialised in developing AI (artificial intelligence) technologies for the Mena (Middle East and North Africa) region, with a mission to remove language barriers for Arabic speakers. 

Tamkeen’s key strategies for 2023, include: facilitating increased economic participation, training for new and emerging labour market needs, supporting enterprise growth, and developing the business ecosystem.

The new employment will be facilitated through Tamkeen’s National Employment Programme (NEP) and Mid-Career and Leadership Programme, reported the newspaper.

The institute seeks to empower the educational sector through its platform which houses more than 500 scientific and research articles in Arabic covering a wide range of sectors and specialities that have been translated from English using AI.

ADRI chief executive Ali Mazraeh said that Tamkeen has “accelerated our efforts to deploy natural language processing and addressing the limited availability of research content in Arabic,” 

“This is a very real social issue in the region, so by expanding access to online Arabic content, we can contribute to the advancement of Arab culture,” he added.

“We can empower researchers, students and professionals from across the region with the latest scientific findings,” explained Mazraeh.