Use of AI Translation Tools in KSA: An Exploratory Study with Saudis and Expatriates

With increasing globalization, societies are becoming more and more multicultural as the workforce, whether skilled or unskilled, is moving across the globe for better work opportunities. With a robust developmental plan in place known as Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is also welcoming businesses and professionals like never before. In this scenario, investors, tourists and other non-Arabic-speaking visitors, including expatriates, are entering the country. However, with an equal emphasis on preserving the country’s pristine culture and a local population less than proficient in the international language of communication, both language groups are resorting to the aid of AI tools to tackle their communication deficits in personal and professional spaces. This study explores the perceptions of expatriate and local populations in Saudi Arabia towards the use of AI tools in their daily lives to communicate socially in shared workspaces, to bridge language barriers, and how these tools contribute to easing the language barrier. Findings indicate a positive perception of the efficacy of AI as a language assistant, the existence of differences between the more and less digitally enabled populations, and Saudi nationals’ greater ease with the use of AI in professional settings but preference for Arabic-speaking locals where problem-solving involves individual intervention. The outcomes of the study are expected to yield insights into optimizing the quality of visitor and tourist experience as well as AI-based translation utilization in KSA.