Sam George tasks KNUST to develop Twi AI model as Ghana plans local-language artificial intelligence
The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Sam Nartey George, is urging academics to build Ghana's own Artificial Intelligence language models to reduce reliance on foreign-built systems.
Sam Nartey George, the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, has called upon KNUST to develop Ghana's first Artificial Intelligence (AI) language models to diminish reliance on foreign-built systems. Speaking at KNUST, George highlighted that AI systems developed in Europe or America fail to comprehend the true essence of Ghanaian languages, warning that these systems could lead to the extinction of indigenous African languages and create a divide between the populace and the government.
To counter this issue, George assigned KNUST the responsibility of leading the creation of a Twi language model, given its proximity to Asanteman. The government's strategy involves academic experts leading the development of language models for various Ghanaian languages, with KNUST taking the forefront for Twi, while other universities spearhead models for other languages. This approach aims to safeguard the existence of indigenous languages and ensure that AI benefits all Ghanaians.
George pointed out that many Ghanaian languages, such as Ga and Dangbe, have words with multiple meanings depending on the tone of pronunciation. For instance, the word “nu” can signify man, water, or drink. Foreign AI developers struggle to interpret these nuances correctly. To address this, George suggested combining academic knowledge with traditional authority by pairing academic champions with traditional leaders who preserve the languages.
Another critical aspect of the strategy involves creating voice interfaces in local languages. Although AI solutions for agriculture, like precision farming, weather sensing, and crop disease detection, have been created globally, they remain inaccessible to many Ghanaian farmers who only speak local languages. George emphasized that the government intends to implement voice-enabled AI that farmers can interact with in Twi, Ga, Ewe, Dagbani, and other local languages, leveraging the newly deployed 5G spectrum to provide services like telemedicine to remote communities.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
