Telangana Students Drive Groundbreaking AI Project to Preserve Telugu Language
In a groundbreaking initiative to preserve and advance the Telugu language, a student-driven project called AI Telugu Yatra is gaining momentum across Telangana. Launched on International Mother Language Day, this initiative aims to create a Telugu-based large language model, similar to ChatGPT, using artificial intelligence (AI).
Telangana: In a groundbreaking initiative to preserve and advance the Telugu language, a student-driven project called AI Telugu Yatra is gaining momentum across Telangana. Launched on International Mother Language Day, this initiative aims to create a Telugu-based large language model, similar to ChatGPT, using artificial intelligence (AI).
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Bridging the Gap Between Telugu and AI
The AI Telugu Yatra project, started last year as a small-scale effort, has rapidly expanded to colleges throughout Telangana. Students are working together to bridge the gap between their mother tongue, Telugu, and cutting-edge AI systems. The goal is to develop a model that can fluently process and generate Telugu content, addressing the significant lack of regional language representation in mainstream AI platforms.
Major Contributions and Achievements
Participants of the AI Telugu Yatra have made impressive progress. They have already contributed over 2,000 hours of recorded audio and documented more than 2.3 crore words and sentences in Telugu. This collection includes diverse regional dialects and cultural narratives, ensuring that the language is represented in all its variations. The initiative, named “Telugu Satasahasra Yagam,” is being led by Swecha, a Hyderabad-based organization focused on open-source technology.
Overcoming Challenges in AI Dataset Creation
“Creating a dataset for AI in Telugu is a challenge because regional languages are often underrepresented in digital spaces,” said Pravin Chandrahas, Secretary of Swecha, in an interview with the Times of India. To tackle this, engineering students have been trained to collect data using custom-built mobile applications, which has allowed for widespread participation across Telangana. In just six months, the project reached 19 districts with the help of over 5,000 students.
Growing Student Participation and Expanding Reach
Students are actively involved in the project by participating in rallies, training programs, and contributing audio and video recordings to document the diversity of Telugu linguistic patterns. The initiative is set to expand further, with plans to engage one lakh students in the coming months. According to Rajashekar of Swecha, “In the first phase, we trained 40,000 engineering students. Now, we are working with degree colleges and aiming for broader participation.”
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The Future of Telugu in the AI Landscape
With the increasing involvement of students, the AI Telugu Yatra is not only promoting the integration of Telugu with AI but also ensuring the preservation of the language in the digital age. This initiative could have long-lasting implications for the way regional languages are represented and processed by AI systems worldwide.
As the project continues to gain traction, the focus remains on evolving Telugu alongside technological advancements, ensuring its vitality in the global digital landscape.
