International Mother Language Day is commemorated every year on February 21st to honour linguistic diversity and advocate multilingualism to enhance cultural comprehension and safeguard heritage. Software that can process natural language is increasingly ubiquitous; many people use it daily for voice controls, chatbots, dictation, and translation.

The convergence of International Mother Language Day and AI offers an opportunity to use technology to protect, revive, and promote endangered languages in a world that is becoming more linked. This text delves into the relevance of linguistic diversity, the impact of AI on language preservation initiatives, and the role of cultural heritage in influencing inclusive AI technology.

Moreover, virtual personal assistants like Siri are one way that AI is helping us get our lives in order, and soon enough, it will be the ones driving us. The first voice-activated command systems are making their way into homes.

Celebrating Linguistic Diversity

Linguistic diversity is a prominent feature of human civilization, representing the varied cultures, histories, and identities that characterize our worldwide community. However, this diversity is at risk because of globalization, urbanization, and language dominance. International Mother Language Day highlights the significance of safeguarding and encouraging linguistic diversity as a fundamental human right and a wellspring of shared knowledge and innovation.

AI and Language Preservation

AI may be used effectively to document, analyze, and revive endangered languages, aiding in their preservation. NLP algorithms facilitate the development of digital archives, automated translation systems, and language learning programs customized for certain linguistic groups. Machine learning approaches can assist in reconstructing historical languages, preserving oral traditions, and creating culturally sensitive AI interfaces that honour linguistic nuances and cultural settings.

Challenges and Opportunities

The incorporation of AI into language preservation initiatives faces various obstacles despite its potential. Validating AI-generated content for accuracy and authenticity necessitates robust validation systems and community participation processes. Additionally, AI systems must be trained on datasets that reflect linguistic variety to prevent bias and lack of representation of minority languages. Ethical considerations, including data sovereignty, informed permission, and community ownership, are crucial in AI-driven language preservation projects to avoid cultural appropriation and exploitation.

Promoting Inclusive AI Technologies

Cultural legacy significantly influences the development of AI technology to represent human societies' linguistic, cultural, and epistemic diversity. By engaging language communities as co-creators and stakeholders in AI development, we can guarantee that technology solutions are inclusive, fair, and culturally appropriate. Encouraging collaborations among linguists, technologists, educators, and policymakers can combine their skills and resources to tackle the complex difficulties of language preservation in the digital era.

Student queries and solutions in the Mother language

AI technology that retrieves responses to students' inquiries in their native language. IIIT-H researchers have recently collaborated with the Agasthya Foundation and subtl.ai to develop an automated solution. Students in rural locations studying in their native language lack the same access to digital resources for resolving their queries as their urban counterparts. Computer engineers at the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-Hyderabad) have created a voice-based technology solution to answer students' questions quickly. The team is collaborating with the Agastya Foundation, subtl.ai, and other laboratories inside the institute that have created technologies like NLP (Natural Language Processing) to develop the answer.

Conclusion 

On International Mother Language Day, let us reassert our dedication to safeguarding linguistic diversity as a fundamental aspect of human dignity, social justice, and sustainable development. We can create a more inclusive and fair future by utilizing AI to preserve languages and supporting AI technologies that honour cultural heritage and linguistic rights. Let us harness the power of language to bring together, motivate, and strengthen individuals and communities globally.