In a move that fuses technology and storytelling, Saudi Arabia’s first English-language daily newspaper, Arab News, has launched the beta version of an artificial intelligence-driven multilingual translation platform that will make its news coverage accessible in 50 different languages.
The announcement was made by Editor-in-Chief Faisal J. Abbas during a special event in Madrid, held alongside the FIPP World Media Congress 2025 and marking the newspaper’s 50th anniversary milestone.
“Thanks to modern-day technology, Arab News, which launched in 1975 to be a voice for Saudi Arabia in English, will now be the voice of a changing region in 50 languages, reaching a remarkable 6.5 billion people, or 80 percent of the world population,” Abbas told a side event on Wednesday evening.
Attendees included Princess Haifa bint Abdulaziz Al-Mogrin, the Saudi ambassador to Spain, along with Arab and Spanish diplomats, senior editors, and media executives.
Abbas, who has overseen the paper’s digital transformation since 2016, said the initiative reflects both Arab News’ legacy as the Kingdom’s English-language voice and its ongoing mission to tell the story of a rapidly transforming region.
“The idea stems from the importance of telling our story, particularly in a region where events influence the whole world and where the beating heart, Saudi Arabia, is undergoing massive transformation and reforms under Vision 2030,” he added.
The innovative translation service is powered by CAMB.AI, a regional startup that has emerged as one of the Arab world’s standout AI innovators on the international stage.
“The internet was created for English speakers and we decided to redesign it for the world,” said Avneesh Prakash, CEO of CAMB.AI.
“We created CAMB.AI as the most comprehensive localization AI platform in the world, building on top of our foundational AI models.”
Prakash explained that the technology enables “leading organizations across the world to localize their content—video, audio, text, documents, website—anything to help brands reach the global population beyond language barriers.
“Partnering with Arab News to launch in 50 languages during its 50th anniversary year demonstrates our dedication to breaking down these barriers. Arab News stands for authentic content and now with CAMB.AI technology it can reach billions of people.”
The event also featured a screening of “Rewriting Arab News”, a documentary that chronicles the newspaper’s five-decade evolution—from its founding in 1975 by brothers Mohammad and Hisham Ali Hafez in Jeddah to its ongoing digital reinvention under the Saudi Research and Media Group.
The film, which has been shortlisted for a prestigious 2025 AIB Art and Culture Video Award, highlights how Arab News has evolved from a national daily newspaper into a globally recognized digital news brand.
The Madrid event was hosted by media analyst and Innovation Media Consulting Group president Juan Senor, who highlighted the dual nature of artificial intelligence as both a disruption and an opportunity for the media industry.
Senor said AI is a “huge disruption to publishing, storytelling, (and) journalism,” but where “some see a threat,” Arab News sees “an opportunity.”
He noted that just as the publication adopted a digital-first approach, it is now embracing AI “responsibly, creatively, intelligently” — with the goal of enhancing and empowering journalists rather than replacing them.
“The evolution of Arab News mirrors the transformation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia itself. Two journeys side by side, both rooted in tradition, both driven by ambition, and both embracing change,” Senor said.
Among the attendees were Cristina Juarraz, assistant director and programming coordinator at Casa Arabe; Pedro Gonzalez, journalist and co-founder of Euronews; Ivan Moreno de Cozar y Landahl, secretary-general at Alliance Francaise Madrid; Jaime Barrientos, war reporter and Middle East expert; and Jorge Hevia Sierra, former Spanish ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
The event also drew several Arab envoys, including Raghad A. Alsaqqa, Jordan’s ambassador to Spain; Hani Shamatli, Lebanon’s ambassador to Spain; Walid Abuabdalla, Libya’s ambassador to Spain; and Husni Abdel Wahed, Palestine’s ambassador to Spain.
Other dignitaries included Mohammad Alshohomi, Kuwait’s chargé d’affaires ad interim in Spain; Ehab Ahmed Badawy, Egypt’s ambassador to Spain; Saleh Ahmad Salem Alzaraim Alsuwaidi, the UAE’s newly appointed ambassador; and Malek Twal, head of the Arab League’s office in Madrid.
The launch of the AI-powered multilingual platform underscores Arab News’ growing influence as an international media player and its pioneering efforts to bridge cultures through technology and storytelling.
Since its inception, the publication has built a reputation as the “voice of a changing region,” chronicling the Kingdom’s diplomatic, social, and economic transformation.
Abbas described the new service as a defining moment in Arab News’ journey — a union of journalism and technology that extends the publication’s reach to audiences across linguistic and cultural boundaries.
“This year we’re turning 50. And we were adamant that our celebration will not be a farewell party but rather a rebirth,” Abbas said. “We’re proud to be embracing technology, not resisting it.”
With this launch, Arab News not only celebrates its past but also signals its intent to lead the future of Arabic media in the digital and AI age — reaffirming its role as both a chronicler and a participant in the region’s ongoing transformation.
