News

Notion Adds Arabic Language Across Its Workspace Platform

Productivity app localizes for Arabic speakers as Gulf startups and enterprises push deeper into digital tools.

Published

3 months ago

January 26, 2026

Nour Nasir

Notion

Notion has introduced full Arabic language support across its workspace platform, extending localization to its web interface, desktop software and mobile apps in what marks the company’s first dedicated product move for the Middle East.

From this week, users can switch the entire experience into Arabic, including navigation, settings and core features. The update brings the AI-powered productivity tool in line with how many teams across the region already operate, often juggling Arabic and English across documents and workflows.

The rollout follows years of steady local adoption rather than a formal market entry. Notion says it now counts millions of users across the Middle East, with hundreds of thousands in the UAE alone. Regional customers include Emirates Foundation and Emirates Investment Bank, while more than 1,000 UAE startups have gone through the company’s Startups Program.

“The Middle East has emerged as one of our most engaged communities, as the region’s vibrant startup ecosystem and rapid digital transformation have made it a natural fit for Notion’s flexible, AI-powered approach to work,” said Mick Hodgins, GM EMEA at Notion. “We now have millions of users across the region who have adopted Notion to build startups, manage teams, and create their life’s work. Arabic support is a foundation for what comes next, as we deepen our commitment to the region and the teams building the future here”.

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For Notion, language coverage is also a practical lever: Public-sector bodies, banks and large enterprises across the Gulf increasingly require Arabic interfaces before rolling out software at scale. Vendors without it are often filtered out early.

The company paired the release with a recent Make with Notion Showcase event in Dubai, a sign it wants closer ties with the local ecosystem rather than treating the region as remote demand.

Arabic becomes Notion’s 21st supported language. The change turns a widely used foreign tool into something that feels native, and signals that the company sees the Gulf as more than a side market.

News

Nano Banana 2 Arrives In MENA For Google Gemini Users

Google brings its latest image model to Gemini and Search, adding 4K output and tighter text control for regional users.

Published

2 months ago

February 27, 2026

Nour Nasir

Google

Google has opened access to Nano Banana 2 across the Middle East and North Africa, pushing its newest image model into everyday tools rather than keeping it inside the exclusive (and expensive) Pro tier.

The rollout spans the Google Gemini desktop and mobile apps, and extends to Google Search through Lens and AI Mode. Developers can also test it in preview via AI Studio and the Gemini API.

Nano Banana 2 runs on Gemini Flash, Google’s fast inference layer. The focus is speed, but also control. Users can export visuals from 512px up to 4K, adjusting aspect ratios for everything from vertical social posts to widescreen displays.

The model maintains character likeness across up to five figures and preserves fidelity for as many as 14 objects within a single workflow. This enables visual continuity across scenes, iterations, or edits — supporting projects like short films, storyboards, and multi-scene narratives. Text rendering has also been improved, delivering legible typography in mockups and greeting cards, with built-in translation and localization directly within images.

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Under the hood, the system taps Gemini’s broader knowledge base and pulls in real-time information and imagery from web search to render specific subjects more accurately. Lighting and fine detail have been upgraded, without slowing output.

By embedding the model inside Gemini and Search, Google is normalizing advanced image generation for a mass audience. In MENA, where startups and marketing teams are leaning heavily on AI to scale content across languages and borders, that shift lands at a practical moment.

The move also folds creative tooling deeper into search itself, so that image generation is no longer a separate workflow. It now sits right next to the query box.