SEARCH giant, Google through its Translate serviceis using artificial intelligence (AI) to add 110 new languages to its translation service and about a quarter of the new languages come from Africa.
The new additions represent Google Translate’s largest expansion of African languages to date.
According to ConnectAfrica.com, the new list includes the languages of Fon (primarily spoken in Benin); Kikongo (Republic of Congo, Gabon and Angola); Luo (Kenya and Tanzania); Ga (South Eastern Ghana); Wolof (Senegal); Siswati (Eswatini and South Africa); Tshivenda (South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique); Afar (Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia); NKo (Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and some other West African countries); Tamazight (also known as Amazigh and spoken in Morocco and Algeria).
Google said the new list of 110 new languages represents more than 614 million speakers, opening up translations for around eight per cent of the world’s population.
According to the American firm, some are major world languages with over 100 million speakers. Others are spoken by small communities of Indigenous people, and a few have almost no native speakers but active revitalization efforts,” the company said.
The additions are part of Google’s 1,000 Languages Initiative – a commitment to build AI models that will support the 1,000 most spoken languages around the world.
PaLM 2 is Google’s next-generation language model with improved multilingual, reasoning and coding capabilities “that builds on Google’s legacy of breakthrough research in machine learning and responsible AI,” the company said.
In May 2022, Google Translate also added 24 more languages using Zero-Shot Machine Translation, where a machine learning model learns to translate into another language without ever seeing an example.
The 2022 update added the African languages of Bambara (Mali); Ewe (Ghana and Togo); Krio (Sierra Leone); Lingala (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Angola and South Sudan); Luganda (Uganda and Rwanda); Oromo (Ethiopia and Kenya); Sepedi (South Africa and Botswana); Tigrinya (Eritrea and Ethiopia); Tsonga (Eswatini, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe); and Twi (Ghana). “Google Translate breaks down language barriers to help people connect and better understand the world around them,” the company said in a statement.
Google and C.I.I.F.A. Launch Second Cohort of Engage Nigeria Programme, Expanding Opportunities for Creatives in Nigeria
MEAWHILE, the Creative Industries Initiative for Africa (C.I.I.F.A.), in collaboration with Google, is launching the second cohort of the Engage Nigeria programme, a transformative initiative aimed at equipping 8,000 youth with creative industry skills. Engage Nigeria is part of the Skill Sprint initiative launched in 2023 to equip 20,000 Nigerian women and youth with vital digital skills.
This national programme continues to support the country’s burgeoning creative economy with expanded reach and new partnerships. This cohort will benefit 6,000 creatives from across Nigeria.
Building on the success of its inaugural cohort, which saw over 2,200 participants receive valuable training and mentorship, Engage Nigeria continues to provide comprehensive training in music business and production, event planning and management, cinematography and videography, animation, graphic design, and content creation. This holistic approach ensures participants are well-prepared to navigate and thrive in the competitive creative industry. The programme also includes mentorship from seasoned professionals and networking opportunities with industry leaders, enhancing their learning experience and career prospects.
Founder of C.I.I.F.A., Godwin Tom, added, “Our mission at C.I.I.F.A is to empower the next generation of creative professionals in Africa. Partnering with GOYF Community Digitech Hub allows us to reach more young talents in Eti-Osa 02, providing them with the tools and knowledge to succeed in the creative economy. We are grateful for the support from Google.org in making this possible.”
Manager, EMEA Music & Culture at Google SSA, Olumide Falegan, highlighted the significant potential he sees in Nigeria’s youth, stating, “Digital technologies are not just tools, they are catalysts for endless possibilities. Through these platforms, our young talent can emerge as key contributors to the digital economy.”
Source link : https://guardian.ng/google-translate-expands-african-languages-adds-over-25-new-ones/
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Publish date : 2024-07-08 06:15:46
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