LISTEN TO THIS THE AFRICANA VOICE ARTICLE NOW
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
In a landmark update, Google Translate has added a whopping 110 languages to its roster, significantly boosting its ability to connect people across the globe. This marks the largest language expansion in the service’s history.
The update, powered by Google’s cutting-edge PaLM 2 AI technology, welcomes Dholuo, the language of the Luo tribe in East Africa. This addition is particularly significant for the estimated 4.2 million Luo people in Kenya and Tanzania who speak Dholuo.
“This is our latest expansion of African languages to date,” said Isaac Caswell, a senior software engineer at Google. A quarter of the newly added languages hail from Africa, reflecting Google’s commitment to bridging the communication gap on the continent.
The update caters to languages with diverse dialects and spelling variations. As Caswell explains, Google Translate will prioritize the most common online version but may incorporate elements from various forms. While the AI might make occasional errors, extensive testing with native speakers ensures “generally useful and mostly accurate” translations. This is a crucial step forward, as emphasized by community members who recognize the immense value of these new language options.
With this expansion, Google Translate now supports 243 languages, steadily progressing towards its ambitious goal of encompassing the world’s 1,000 most spoken languages. This update signifies a significant leap in breaking down language barriers and fostering global communication.
LEAVE A COMMENT
You must be logged in to post a comment.