When we think of AI, it’s usually about boosting productivity or automating tasks, but there’s a far more intriguing possibility: using AI to save endangered languages. According to UNESCO, nearly half of the world’s 6,000 languages are on the verge of disappearing. Could AI be the unexpected hero in this race against time?
Generative AI has an incredible ability to learn and replicate language patterns, making it a game-changing tool for documenting, teaching, and reviving languages that are fading away. By feeding AI samples of endangered languages, linguists can create expansive databases, translation tools, and even chatbots that allow people to practice and reconnect with their native tongue.
Imagine AI-powered platforms crafting educational materials for languages that have little to no resources. Add to that text-to-speech and voice synthesis technologies that bring these languages to life, letting learners hear the nuances and pronunciations that might otherwise be lost forever.
But here’s the challenge: many endangered languages aren’t well-documented. This calls for a collaboration between AI developers, linguists, and native speakers to ensure the AI captures the richness and subtleties of each language, preserving not just words but entire cultures.
Ultimately, AI’s role in language preservation is about more than saving words—it’s about keeping cultural identities and histories alive. As technology evolves, Generative AI could very well be the powerful tool we need to protect the world’s incredible linguistic diversity. Exciting, right?
How Generative AI Can Help Preserve Endangered Languages
11
October
2024
Even though I like the post, I like the idea even more. I’ve previously heard about endangered language preservation by AI, but I never thought that it could capture the unspoken. Considering recent advancements in body language imitation, I actually start to believe there’s a chance an AI is this hero you mention. However marginal the progress might seem, teaching AI facial expressions seems like an impossible task, but recent news about AI reading from human faces make me a believer 🙂 (https://www.bbc.com/news/av/technology-64482464).
I really hope you’re right and with the help of AI and GenAI, we can not only record the endangered languages but cultivate them among native speakers.