DEARBORN, Mich.,—August 18, 2025—Velatura Public Benefit Corporation (Velatura) today announced the launch of its groundbreaking “AI First for People” initiative, integrating the UAE-developed open-source Falcon Large Language Model (LLM) into custom-trained, bilingual Arabic-English AI healthcare products.
The company will unveil this transformative technology at a special event planned for October 4, 2025, in Dearborn, establishing the Dearborn-Detroit corridor as the company’s flagship hub for AI innovation.
This implementation represents more than a single product launch; it marks the beginning of Velatura’s multi-pronged strategy to deliver authentic Arabic-speaking user experiences through custom-trained models fine-tuned and extended from Falcon. Initial outcomes have proven highly encouraging, positioning the initiative to serve the Western Hemisphere’s largest Arabic-speaking population while preparing for deployment across the Middle East.
The company’s flagship products, including the Arabic edition of Consent Manager+™ and the innovative AskTeli AI operating system, represent a new category of bilingual Arabic-English AI experience products designed for healthcare applications. These solutions go beyond traditional translation, incorporating Reinforcement Learning with Human Feedback (RLHF) to deliver culturally authentic interactions for Arabic-speaking communities.
“This technology doesn’t just translate words, it creates authentic Arabic-speaking user experiences that preserve cultural context and medical accuracy, addressing a critical gap in healthcare equity,” said Dr. Tim Pletcher, DHA, CEO of Velatura. “By fine-tuning Falcon’s advanced capabilities through our custom-trained models, we’re transforming how Arabic-speaking communities interact with their healthcare providers while establishing Michigan as a hub for health AI innovation.”
Velatura’s approach positions the company as a pioneer in open-source AI-ML for health sciences, aligning with the President’s AI Action Plan and advancing sovereign AI with worldwide influence. The technology delivers innovative AI solutions for consent management, patient recruitment, engagement, and protocol validation, tailored specifically for Dearborn’s nearly 200,000 Arabic speakers, the country’s largest Arabic-speaking population.
According to a 2022 study published in the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 71% of Arabic-speaking patients report significant difficulties understanding healthcare documentation. Research from the Office of Minority Health further shows that patients with limited English proficiency are at significantly higher risk of medical errors due to miscommunication, with the Joint Commission Journal reporting that 68% of non-English speaking patients sign consent forms they don’t fully understand.
The initiative enriches the TII & Falcon LLMs ecosystem, spawning new commercial and research products alongside strategic partnerships that simultaneously elevate UAE-US innovation networks. While Falcon excels in multiple languages, particularly Arabic, it has seen limited real-world application in the USA. Velatura’s approach bridges this gap, delivering tangible benefits to citizens and residents in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and beyond through VelaturaAI apps and agents.
Prashant Natarajan, Chief AI Officer at Velatura, explained the technology’s broader significance: “Our custom-trained models, fine-tuned from Falcon, create a new standard for bilingual healthcare AI. This isn’t just about better translation, it’s about building AI-first solutions that truly serve people, establishing a sustainable innovation ecosystem right here in Michigan.”
The October 4 launch event marks the beginning of a comprehensive initiative to address what Arabic-speaking patients identify as their primary healthcare challenge: language barriers that prevent effective medical care delivery.
“ACCESS has long advocated for better healthcare communication for our community,” said Maha Freij, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS). “This implementation represents a significant advancement that positions Michigan as a leader in culturally responsive healthcare technology, potentially transforming care delivery for Arabic-speaking populations globally.”
The October 4 event will include demonstrations of:
- Bilingual Arabic-English AI experience products
- Custom-trained healthcare AI models fine-tuned from Falcon
- Interactive AskTeli AI operating system showcases
- Real-time RLHF demonstrations with cultural context preservation
- Open-source AI-ML solutions for health sciences
Speakers at the event will include Dr. Tim Pletcher, DHA, CEO of Velatura; Prashant Natarajan, Chief AI Officer at Velatura; representatives from UAE Health Authority; leadership from the Arab American Health Initiative; and community leaders from Dearborn’s Arab-American community.
For more information about Velatura’s AI First for People initiative and AI suite of products, visit www.veltura.org.
About Velatura Public Benefit Corporation
Velatura Public Benefit Corporation is the country’s premier interoperability platform provider and operator of the largest network of multijurisdictional health information exchanges (HIE) and Trusted Data Sharing Organizations (TDSO). By enabling secure and efficient exchange of critical electronic health information, Velatura helps healthcare organizations streamline workflows, improve care coordination, and enhance patient care. For additional information, visit www.velatura.org.
Media Contact
Emily Mata
emily.mata@velatura.org
517-745-8835