Google has been aggressively using AI capabilities to transform functionalities and expand on features that were limited before the technology came about. Now, the company is using its Large Language Model to add 110 new languages to Google Translate, almost double the number of languages offered previously. The company claims this move will represent almost eight percent of the global population and help them easily converse and gain information.
Google is using PaLM 2 to help cover 614 million speakers and is offering the largest expansion for African languages
Google is using AI to expand its translation capabilities by supporting 110 new languages. The company is utilizing its last-generation PaLM 2 LLM model to help learn languages that are related to each other. Awadhi and Marwadi, for instance, were quoted as languages close to Hindi and, hence, easier to pick on. Google, in its blog post, mentioned the role of the LLM model:
PaLM 2 was a key piece to the puzzle, helping Translate more efficiently learn languages that are closely related to each other, including languages close to Hindi, like Awadhi and Marwadi, and French creoles like Seychellois Creole and Mauritian Creole.
Google Translate currently offers 133 languages, so the newly added support will mark a noticeable jump, making this the biggest language expansion. The company announced the addition of Cantonese to Translate on Thursday after it was the most requested language by users.
The company went on to state that some of the languages added are shared by 100 million speakers, while others are limited to smaller communities where language preservation is highly prioritized, such as the Indigenous community. While adding these languages, the tech giant mentioned that a focus on various dialects and standards had been considered before adding a new language to ensure true representation.
The language support expansion covers about 614 million speakers, which accounts for 8 percent of the world's population. Not only does it extend to a wider user base, but what is interesting is the number of African languages added to Translate. Almost one-third of the language additions are linked to Africa, showing a greater focus on inclusivity.
Google explained that this added support is just the start of its main plan to add more types of languages and ultimately expand support for the 1,000 most frequently used languages in the world with the help of AI. In comparison to Apple Translate, Google Translate has been taking the lead for a long time, as the former offers support for merely 20 languages.
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