On today’s latest tech news, French telecom Orange has announced a partnership with Meta and OpenAI to develop AI models aimed at translating regional African languages, with initial efforts focused on West Africa.
The project is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2025, starting with Wolof and Pulaar, according to a statement seen by TechParley on Thursday, November 28, 2024.
Orange will leverage OpenAI’s “Whisper” and Meta’s “Llama” models to enhance customer communication and expand access to essential services in local languages.
The initiative will also prioritize non-commercial applications, including public health and education, to better serve underserved communities.
“We have extensive experience working with these countries and developing customer service applications in local languages,” an Orange spokesperson said to press, emphasizing the company’s commitment to improving customer support across the region.
“These open-source AI models will also be made available externally by Orange under a free license for non-commercial use, such as in public health, education, and other essential services,” another press statement read.
