OpenAI, Meta, and Orange are collaborating to develop AI models that support African languages, addressing the lack of representation in current AI systems. The project, launching next year, will initially focus on Wolof and Pulaar, two languages that are spoken by about 22 million people in West Africa. Eventually, Orange will expand the initiative to include languages like Swahili and Lingala. It plans to leverage its own data centers, as well as cloud infrastructure in Europe and Africa, for the project. Currently, most leading AI companies train their models using US-centric data. Consequently, these models are incapable of understanding contexts and cultural nuances when they are applied to non-Western scenarios. The project seeks to change this and offer free technology to support public health, education, and local businesses. Orange plans for the initiative to become a blueprint for making AI accessible to underserved populations, including illiterate communities.
SOURCE: BUSINESS INSIDER
