Lucky Uwakwe, chairman of Nigeria’s Blockchain Industry Coordinating Committee (BICCoN), underscored the critical role of artificial intelligence (AI) in safeguarding endangered African languages. In a recent interview with Cointelegraph, Uwakwe emphasized the pressing need to preserve these languages, whose numbers are dwindling due to various socio-economic factors. He cited the example of languages spoken in Plateau State, Nigeria, where community displacement caused by insecurity has led to their fragmentation and decline.
Uwakwe articulated that the primary objective is to prevent any language from disappearing entirely. He highlighted the potential of technological innovations such as AI and blockchain to significantly contribute towards achieving this goal. Uwakwe also pointed out a notable deficiency in language support from major global tech companies.
This issue is not confined to Nigeria alone but mirrors a broader challenge encompassing numerous African languages. Uwakwe advocated for harnessing the power of AI and blockchain technologies to protect and revive endangered languages.
Related initiatives include Nigeria’s plans to establish nationwide AI and blockchain research centers. By integrating blockchain with AI, communities can be incentivized to preserve and document their native languages, earning tokens in return. These datasets are then utilized to train AI models, enabling them to comprehend and sustain these languages, thereby ensuring their survival and integration into future technological advancements.
Uwakwe’s dedication to this cause is further evidenced by his recent appointment as the LingoAI community ambassador for Nigeria and Africa. As CEO of Sabi Group, Uwakwe has been instrumental in promoting blockchain and Web3 solutions across the continent. This advocacy echoes similar efforts by Nigerian officials, such as the chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Olanipekun Olukoyede, who highlighted the potential of blockchain and AI in combatting illicit financial flows in Africa.
In another significant development, Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy launched its first multilingual large language model (LLM) on April 19, underscoring its commitment to advancing AI development in Africa.
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