ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani student based in the United States has developed an artificial intelligence model exclusively for the Urdu language, marking a significant breakthrough in AI-driven linguistic technology.
The project, named Qalb, is being billed as an Urdu-first large language model at a time when most generative AI systems are trained predominantly on English and a handful of other major global languages.
Advocates of language-specific models say such systems can significantly enhance accuracy, cultural sensitivity, and accessibility, particularly in sectors such as education, business, and public services.
Urdu is spoken by more than 230 million people worldwide, across Pakistan, India, and diaspora communities, yet it remains largely underrepresented in advanced AI technologies.
As a result, efforts to localise artificial intelligence are increasingly viewed as essential to broadening digital inclusion and enabling meaningful participation in the digital economy, especially in developing countries.
“Qalb is now recognized as the world’s largest Large Language Model created exclusively for the Urdu language,” Taimoor Hassan, the project’s developer, told the media.
“Trained on a massive dataset of 1.97 billion tokens and benchmarked across seven-plus international evaluation frameworks, Qalb outperforms existing Urdu-focused AI models on key real-world performance indicators, setting a new standard for natural language processing in Pakistan,” Hassan said.
“This is a development model, and in the next phase, we will soon launch an app for mobile and web so that people can use and benefit from Qalb GPT.”
“I had the opportunity to contribute in a small way to a much bigger mission for the country,” Hassan said.
Hassan is a young entrepreneur who has successfully launched and exited 13 startups. A former winner of the Microsoft Cup, he has represented Pakistan at various international forums.
It may be recalled that Pakistan unveiled a roadmap for technological transformation on Friday, aiming to train one million AI professionals.
Pakistan’s Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja, stated the policy is a strategic blueprint designed to fundamentally transform Pakistan’s role in the global tech landscape, moving the nation from a consumer to a leading producer of emerging technologies.
Pakistan’s cabinet in 2025 approved the country’s National AI Policy to guide the development, adoption, governance, and ethical use of artificial intelligence across the country.
