By Juliet Umeh
Get ready to connect with the world in a whole new way. Google Translate just received a massive upgrade, adding 110 new languages and breaking down communication barriers for over 614 million people globally.
This significant expansion marks a major milestone for Google, particularly in Africa, where eight new languages join existing ones like Yoruba and Hausa.
The tech giant said: “This update aligns perfectly with Google’s 1,000 Languages Initiative, leveraging AI to support the most spoken languages globally. Eight new African languages join existing Nigerian languages like Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba, amplifying voices from across the continent.
West Africa’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager at Google, Mr. Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, said: “Our mission is to enable everyone, everywhere, to understand the world and express themselves across languages,” “With these new languages, including many from Africa, we’re opening doors for over half a billion people to connect and communicate.”
Prioritizing Accuracy and Understanding
He said: “Selecting languages for Google Translate involves careful consideration. Google prioritizes the most commonly used varieties within each language, acknowledging the existence of dialects and regional variations. They collaborated extensively with native speakers to ensure accuracy and effectiveness.
“This expansion utilizes the powerful PaLM 2 large language model, building upon the 24 languages added in 2022 through Zero-Shot Machine Translation. This technology allows Translate to efficiently learn related languages and dialects.
On a diverse and inclusive update, he explained that the 110 new languages represent eight percent of the world’s population, encompassing major languages with over 100 million speakers, languages spoken by smaller indigenous communities, and those undergoing revitalization efforts.
