TL;DR:
- Artificial intelligence (AI) is being utilized to develop a Gaelic subtitle service for the BBC.
- Linguists and AI researchers from Edinburgh and Glasgow universities have received funding from the Scottish Government for this project.
- The team is creating a “large language model” similar to ChatGPT specifically for Gaelic.
- Resources used include 15,000 pages of transcribed Gaelic narrative and 30 million words from Gaelic archives.
- The aim is to compile and reintroduce knowledge from past Gaelic speakers to present-day Gaelic speakers.
- The project will significantly contribute to the advancement of language technology for Gaelic.
Main AI News:
Artificial intelligence (AI) is at the forefront of a groundbreaking endeavor to provide a Gaelic subtitle service that could potentially revolutionize the language landscape of the BBC. The Scottish Government has generously allocated £225,000 to a team of distinguished linguists and AI researchers from Edinburgh and Glasgow universities, empowering them to drive the development of this cutting-edge system.
At the heart of this ambitious project lies the creation of a bespoke “large language model” specifically designed for Gaelic, drawing inspiration from the highly acclaimed ChatGPT. Leveraging the remarkable capabilities of AI, the team endeavors to facilitate broader access to and engagement with the Gaelic language.
To fuel this transformative undertaking, the AI system will be nourished with an extensive range of resources, including a vast collection of “15,000 pages of transcribed Gaelic narrative” meticulously curated from the esteemed School of Scottish Studies Archives at the University of Edinburgh.
To equip the AI model with an unparalleled understanding of Gaelic, an extensive training process will be employed, drawing on a rich linguistic dataset meticulously assembled from the Digital Archive of Scottish Gaelic (DASG).
With an astonishing repository of over 30 million words from the highly regarded Corpas na Gàidhlig at the University of Glasgow, in addition to vernacular recordings sourced from the DASG’s Cluas ri Claisneachd audio archive, the AI system will be fortified with an abundance of linguistic knowledge.
Conlcusion:
The utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) in developing a Gaelic subtitle service for the BBC signifies a significant advancement in language technology. This innovation has the potential to expand the market for Gaelic language services, catering to a broader audience and enhancing accessibility for Gaelic speakers.
The collaboration between linguists, AI researchers, and the Scottish Government highlights the growing recognition of the importance of language preservation and technology integration. As AI continues to evolve and drive advancements in language-related applications, businesses operating in the language services sector should closely monitor these developments to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the market.
