Meta and UNESCO team up to improve translation AI
Meta has partnered with UNESCO on a new plan to enhance translation and speech recognition AI. According to Techcrunch, Meta's Language Technology Partner Program is seeking collaborators to contribute speech recordings, transcriptions, written texts, and translated sentences to improve AI capabilities. The focus is on underserved languages in support of UNESCO's initiatives.
Collaborations and Initiatives
Meta and UNESCO have already enlisted the government of Nunavut, a northern Canadian territory, to develop translation systems for the Intuit languages - Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun. Meta's efforts align with UNESCO's goals during the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, emphasizing the importance of supporting lesser-known languages.
The BOUQuET Translation Benchmark
As part of the program, Meta is introducing an open-source translation benchmark named BOUQuET. This benchmark serves as a standard test to evaluate AI model performance in translation tasks. It comprises sentences curated by linguistic experts and welcomes contributions on a dedicated platform.
Advancements in AI Translation
Meta has shown a keen interest in AI translation for both textual content and speech. The company's global reach emphasizes the significance of effective translation tools. Recently, Meta showcased a tool that uses AI to automatically dub Reels into multiple languages, featuring lip-sync technology. This innovation is set to benefit creators by expanding their audience reach.
Meta has progressively introduced its Meta AI assistant in various countries, offering support for multiple languages. With availability in 43 countries and over a dozen languages, Meta continues to enhance its AI capabilities to connect users globally.
