Artificial intelligence in African languages is sweeping the continent.African start-ups, pioneers in these innovations, are closely followed by international tech giants. Enough to constitute a solid and dynamic ecosystem.
A few years ago malick Diouf was over the moon when he received a grant of a few thousand euros. In 2024 the situation changed for the founder of the Senegalese startup lafricamobile. The latter has just raised $7 million to expand and improve its digital platform.
Expansion and innovation
“The money will allow us to do two things. The first is the expansion into French-speaking Central Africa: Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, Cameroon, Chad, Central Africa and Rwanda.And the second thing is to invest more in the platform and in the languages to reach as many people as possible, whatever the constraints, whether it’s a connectivity constraint or languages,” explains malick Diouf.
Today, LAfricaMobile supports 300 companies in approximately fifteen countries allowing them to communicate with their customers via mobile phone, even without an internet connection. Its technology is based on an artificial intelligence model capable of sending translated and vocalized messages in local languages such as Wolof, Dioula, Swahili and Bambara.
For Paulin Melatagia, computer science teacher-researcher at the University of Yaoundé 1, the work of these start-ups is colossal: “We have about 2 000 African languages, most of which are tonal languages. It is indeed a very particular linguistic feature that is very rarely found in other parts of the world, explains. You can only truly understand linguistics if you are a speaker yourself or if you have worked on these languages for a long time. These start-ups, with their engineers speaking these languages, provide much greater added value than the data-gathering IT giants. »
“Deep Learning Indaba” 2024, the annual forum for African AI developers, has opened its doors in Dakar, Senegal.
“Deep Learning Indaba” 2024, the annual forum for African AI developers, has opened its doors in dakar, Senegal. © @DeepIndaba
Technology giants lurking
Google recently integrated 31 new african languages in its Google Translate application. For its part, Orange, in collaboration with OpenAI and Meta, is developing similar tools for the 18 African countries in which it operates. For Malick Diouf, these initiatives bring hope: “We are finally starting to understand that digital technology cannot be limited to a single category of the population. How to achieve digital inclusion with tools that can be used and understood by everyone? he asks. That’s why we are very happy to see these giants interested in the topic. We just hope to have the chance to collaborate with them. »
The artificial intelligence ecosystem applied to African languages is growing, strong and dynamic. Forecasts for 2025 value this market at $130 million, with growth estimated at 25%.
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How can AI technologies help preserve cultural identities in Africa?
Interview Between Time.news Editor and AI Language Expert
Time.news Editor: Welcome to Time.news! Today,we have an intriguing guest with us,dr. Amina Diallo, a leading expert in artificial intelligence and its applications in African languages. Dr. Diallo,thank you for joining us!
Dr.Amina Diallo: Thank you for having me! I’m excited to discuss the potential of AI in supporting African languages.
Editor: To start, could you highlight why the integration of AI in African languages is so critically important at this moment?
Dr. Diallo: Absolutely! Africa is home to over 2,000 distinct languages, many of which are underrepresented in the digital landscape.As AI technologies become more prevalent, it’s essential to ensure that they are inclusive and accessible to speakers of these languages. this not only empowers communities but also preserves cultural identities and enhances dialog across diverse groups.
Editor: That’s a great point. What are some of the current challenges faced in developing AI for African languages?
Dr. Diallo: One main challenge is the lack of digitized resources. Many African languages do not have robust databases for machine learning systems to learn from. Additionally, there are often significant variations and dialects within a single language, complicating standardization. Funding and collaboration between tech companies and local linguists are crucial to overcoming these hurdles.
Editor: Collaboration seems key. Are there any initiatives or projects currently underway that aim to bridge this gap?
Dr. Diallo: Yes, several initiatives are making strides! Such as, projects like Masakhane bring together volunteers from all over the world to create NLP models for African languages. This community-driven approach is crucial as it fosters local expertise and ensures that the models are culturally relevant.
Editor: That sounds promising! How do you envision the future of AI in African languages shaping up over the next decade?
Dr. Diallo: I believe we will see significant advances in not only translation and speech recognition but also in educational tools and digital assistants that can converse in multiple African languages. This will promote greater digital literacy and provide more avenues for economic progress in the region. Imagine an AI that can provide support in local languages,empowering users to access information and services more effectively!
Editor: It sounds like a transformative future! what advice would you give to tech developers looking to contribute to this field?
Dr. Diallo: Start by collaborating with local communities and linguists. Understanding the cultural context is vital.Additionally, prioritize inclusivity in your designs, ensuring that you’re not just adding languages to a system but genuinely enhancing accessibility and representation.
Editor: Wise words, Dr. Diallo! Before we wrap up,is there a final thought you’d like to leave our readers with about AI and languages in Africa?
Dr. Diallo: Yes! The integration of AI into African languages is not just a technological endeavor; it’s a social movement that has the potential to uplift communities and preserve rich heritages. let’s approach this with sensitivity and a commitment to inclusiveness.
Editor: Thank you, Dr. Diallo, for your insightful perspectives. It’s clear that the future of AI in African languages is shining and holds vast potential. We look forward to seeing how this field evolves!
Dr. Diallo: Thank you for the prospect to share! I’m looking forward to the journey ahead.