JEDDAH: Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to transform education in Saudi schools as part of a landmark technology partnership deal. Numou Center for Education, in Dhahran, has teamed up with Century Tech, a London-based education company, to create a new AI-powered learning platform designed specifically for the needs of Saudi students. Century Tech is a developer of AI classroom technology which uses machine learning to provide students with an education personalized to their individual strengths, weaknesses, behaviors, and habits. The system automates the marking of their work and assists with planning and other administration, saving teachers hours every week. Priya Lakhani, founder CEO of Century Tech, said: “We are honored to be working with schools in Saudi Arabia whose teachers, students, and parents are seeing firsthand the benefits to education of truly advanced technologies such as AI.” The firm’s award-winning technology is being combined with new Arabic content developed by Numou to create the Kingdom’s most advanced learning experience and its first Arabic AI learning platform. Schools are expected to start using the technology from September. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the closure of schools has made digital learning a high priority for the country. A number of Saudi education institutions, including Misk Schools and Dhahran Ahliyya Schools, already use the platform in English but Numou is creating customized AI-powered instructional materials for studying the Arabic language, as well as Arabic mathematics and science content. Brendan Law, director general of Riyadh’s Misk Schools, said: “Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionize education in Saudi Arabia. This marks an important step in improving education for all. “Misk Schools is proud to be the first school in the Kingdom to adopt Century Tech within its curriculum. We look forward to ongoing groundbreaking developments together in the years to come. Our vision is to forge ahead with new frontiers in education.” The platform is designed to be rapidly scalable, with the potential to help thousands of schools in the region. The partners behind the project are committed to providing 21st century instructional materials in Arabic designed to meet the aspirations of Arab educators and students. The new Numou-designed content is standards-based and will help prepare Saudi students to achieve levels targeted in leading international tests. Dr. Sally Alturki, senior vice president at Numou Center for Education, said: “We are excited to be collaborating with the company we see as being so far ahead of the rest in the quality of its platform. “Our teachers are working hard to provide Arabic content that will move learners to a new level of competency in Arabic, math, science, and English.”