Google Speech, in collaboration with its research team based in Accra, Ghana, has made a significant stride in enhancing digital accessibility for millions of Africans.
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The company has launched Voice Search, talk-to-type on Gboard, and voice input on Translate for 15 additional African languages.
This expansion empowers approximately 300 million more Africans to interact with the web and communicate with friends and family using their voice. The newly supported languages include Chichewa, Hausa, Igbo, Tigrinya, and Yoruba, bringing the total number of languages with voice support in Africa to 25 and globally to 94.
By enabling voice input across these platforms, Google aims to bridge the digital divide and provide a more inclusive online experience.
This technology allows users to dictate text, search the web, and translate languages effortlessly, breaking down language barriers and empowering individuals to express themselves freely.
Google has been at the forefront of language technology in Africa, supporting typing input with custom keyboards in Gboard for over 200 African languages and varieties and offering automatic translation with Translate for over 60 African languages. With the addition of voice input, Google further solidifies its commitment to making technology accessible to a diverse range of users.
Alex Okosi, Managing Director of Google Africa, emphasized the transformative impact of this technology, stating, “This technology will make a difference to over 300 million more people across the continent, enabling them to interact with the web with just their voice. With teams in Google Accra working on this, it’s one example of how Google in Africa is building technology for Africans and for the world.”
Matt Brittin, President of Google in Europe, Middle East, and Africa, highlighted the significance of this expansion, particularly in the context of Africa’s rapidly growing digital landscape. He noted, “The next decade is set to be Sub-Saharan Africa’s digital decade, with more than half the population accessing the Internet for the first time. Google’s mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful is particularly relevant to the Sub-Saharan region.”
Leveraging AI for multilingual speech recognition
The advancement of artificial intelligence, specifically multilingual speech recognition, has made this language expansion possible. By training AI models on vast amounts of data from multiple languages, Google’s technology can accurately transcribe speech into text, even in complex linguistic environments.
As Africa embraces the digital age, Google’s commitment to language innovation and accessibility plays a crucial role in shaping the continent’s technological landscape. By empowering individuals with the tools to communicate and connect online, Google is paving the way for a more inclusive and prosperous digital future for Africa.