latest advancements in artificial intelligence

Significant advancements in AI models, such as Gemini, and a large expansion of languages supported by Google Translate are helping to usher in a new era of cross-language communication.

Key developments include:

Expanded Language Support: Google Translate added more than 110 new languages in June 2024. This increased the total from 133 to over 240 languages. The "1,000 Languages Initiative" aims to support the most spoken languages using AI.

AI-Powered Accuracy: The PaLM 2 AI language model drives the language expansion and improves translation capabilities. The model understands related languages and nuances like slang. This results in more context-aware translations.

AI Integration in Search: Google's AI model in Search is expanding its language support. This allows people to ask complex questions in their preferred language. Languages like Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, and Indonesian are included, making search results more locally relevant.

Real-Time Conversation Tools: New features enable real-time audio translation. This works through any pair of headphones, and preserves each speaker's tone and cadence. This works for two-way conversations in over 70 languages within the Google Translate app.

Beyond real-time audio, the new Gemini-powered engine substantially improves the overall quality of text translation across the Google Search and Translate apps. Specifically, it excels in handling nuanced language, complex idioms, local slang, and cultural expressions. For instance, translating a phrase like “stealing my thunder” will now yield a natural, contextually accurate equivalent in the target language, rather than a jarring word-for-word translation.

Manx, the Celtic language of the Isle of Man, was also added after it nearly went extinct with the death of its last native speaker in 1974. A revival movement on the island has resulted in there now being thousands of speakers.

The lingua franca of Papua New Guinea, Tok Pisin, was added to Google Translate and Caswell noted that due to its status as an English-based creole, app users who are English speakers should try translating into Tok Pisin because they "might be able to make out the meaning!"

The Live Translate feature currently supports over 70 languages and is rolling out initially to users in India and the United States for translation between English and 20 other major languages, including Hindi, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese. While the functionality is immediately available on Android, Google has confirmed that support for iOS devices is slated for release next year. Furthermore, the new capabilities extend beyond speech, with the tech giant also expanding its language learning tools within the Translate app to offer personalized tips based on user practice, further solidifying the platform’s role as a comprehensive language assistant. This powerful integration signifies Google’s commitment to breaking down language barriers and making sophisticated AI accessible for everyday, instantaneous communication.

 By - Aaradhay Sharma