Google Translate Expands Support to 110 New Languages, Reaching 614 Million Speakers

Google has announced a major update to its translation service, adding support for 110 new languages. This enhancement leverages the power of Google’s PaLM 2 AI model to deliver accurate translations across a diverse array of languages.

The newly added languages include Afar, Cantonese, Manx, Nko, Punjabi (Shahmukhi), Tamazight (Amazigh), and Tok Pisin, collectively representing over 614 million speakers, which is approximately 8% of the global population.

Addressing Linguistic Diversity

The languages integrated into Google Translate vary significantly in terms of their usage. Some have over 100 million speakers, while others are considered endangered with efforts underway to preserve them.

Google’s approach to adding new languages takes into account regional variations, dialects, and different spelling standards to ensure broad and accurate coverage.

“Our approach has been to prioritize the most commonly used varieties of each language,” explained Issac Caswell, a software engineer at Google. “For example, Romani is a language with many dialects throughout Europe. Our models produce text that is closest to Southern Vlax Romani, a commonly used variety online, but also incorporate elements from other dialects like Northern Vlax and Balkan Romani.”

Part of a Broader Initiative

This expansion is part of Google’s ambitious initiative to support 1,000 languages through artificial intelligence, a goal announced in 2022. Last year, Google added support for 24 languages spoken by over 300 million people using its one-shot model. With the latest additions, Google Translate now supports a total of 243 languages.

Comparing Tech Giants

At Apple’s WWDC, the company announced the inclusion of Hindi in its translation app. However, Apple Translate currently supports just over 20 languages, highlighting a significant difference in the breadth of language support between Apple and Google.

Google’s latest update to its translation service marks a significant milestone in its efforts to bridge linguistic divides and make communication more accessible globally.

By incorporating 110 new languages, Google Translate is not only enhancing its utility for millions of new users but also contributing to the preservation and promotion of linguistic diversity. This development underscores Google’s commitment to leveraging AI for global inclusivity and understanding.