AI to the Rescue: Could Tech Save Endangered Languages? 🗣️🤖

The Deets

OK, so listen up, fam. There's a serious sitch goin' on. Mad languages, especially Indigenous ones, are about to ghost us, for real. Think colonization, globalization, the whole shebang. But peep this: AI could be the glow-up they need. We're talkin' tech that could actually help revive and preserve these languages before they're totally yeeted from existence.

But here's the tea: Most AI chatbots? They're basic. Trained mainly on like, English and a few other mainstream languages. That means a whole lotta languages are gettin' left in the dust, which is a major L. That's where the "Language in a Box" project comes in. This dude Michael Running Wolf is cookin' up an AI device to help peeps level up their language game. It's all about makin' language learning more accessible, ya feel?

And it's not just about the tech, it's about who's in control. Data sovereignty is key, meaning Indigenous communities gotta keep their hands on the wheel when it comes to their own data. We're also seein' some fire apps poppin' off, like NightOwlGPT in the Philippines, which is all about translation and support for Indigenous languages. But we gotta keep it 100: AI ain't all sunshine and rainbows. There are concerns about power dynamics and who really benefits from all this tech. Is it gonna lift up communities, or nah?

Even in Africa, they're tryin' to make sure AI reps the culture right. Mozilla's Common Voice is buildin' datasets for African languages, but the dialect situation is complicated. Standardization is tough, resources are scarce, and implementation? It's a whole process. But the dream is real: AI could become the go-to for learnin' under-resourced languages. But that's only if the funding is there, the data is solid, and the community is all in.

Bottom line? AI could be a game-changer for savin' endangered languages, but we gotta make sure it's done right. Inclusive, thoughtful, and with the communities leadin' the charge. No cap.