My name is Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo, and I come from the Karay-a ethnolinguistic group, one of the indigenous communities in the Philippines. Growing up, I was fortunate that my family made it a priority for me to learn and speak Karay-a, ensuring I stayed connected to my roots. However, not everyone in my community has had the same experience. Over the years, I’ve seen fewer people—especially younger generations—speak our language fluently. The pressure to adopt more dominant languages like Filipino and English has caused Karay-a, like many other minority languages, to fade.
What is happening to Karay-a is part of a larger, global crisis. According to estimates, up to 95% of the world’s 7,000 living languages are at risk of extinction by the end of this century. When a language dies, it is more than just the loss of a way of speaking—it is the erasure of an entire culture, history, and identity. For communities like mine, language is the thread that connects us to our ancestors and our heritage, and its disappearance would mean losing that connection forever.
Yet, despite the grim outlook, there is hope. And that hope comes from an unexpected source: artificial intelligence (AI). While AI is often associated with automation and futuristic technology, it is also emerging as a powerful tool in the fight to save dying languages. By harnessing AI, we are finding new ways to preserve, document, and even revive endangered and lost languages, ensuring they continue to thrive in the digital age.
The Global Crisis of Language Extinction
Languages are much more than tools for communication; they are vessels of cultural memory, traditions, and worldviews. When a language dies, the community that speaks it loses a unique way of understanding the world. This is particularly devastating for marginalized communities, who often find their languages pushed aside by global tongues such as English, Spanish, or Mandarin.
Currently, almost 3,000 languages are endangered, and a language goes extinct approximately every two weeks. Globalization, migration, and the pressure to adopt dominant languages for economic or social mobility have accelerated this trend. In an increasingly connected world, many minority language speakers feel pressured to abandon their native tongues in favor of more widely spoken languages. This is where AI is stepping in to help.
AI: A New Hope for Language Preservation
In the past, the documentation and preservation of languages were slow, labor-intensive processes led by linguists and anthropologists. While these efforts have been invaluable, they are often insufficient to keep pace with the rapid rate of language loss. AI offers a revolutionary way to change this.
AI-powered technologies, such as natural language processing (NLP) and speech recognition, can quickly and accurately document and analyze languages that have limited or no written records. These tools can transcribe spoken language into written form, allowing researchers to create comprehensive records of endangered languages. AI can also detect patterns in the language that might take human linguists years to uncover.
For example, Google's ‘Woolaroo’ project uses AI to help communities document their endangered languages by allowing users to take photos of objects and receive translations in their native tongue. This kind of technology makes language preservation accessible, even to those who may not be linguists themselves.
Real-Time Translation and Learning Tools
Another exciting application of AI is real-time translation for endangered languages. AI-driven platforms, such as NightOwlGPT, provide real-time translation for marginalized languages like Karay-a, ensuring that speakers can communicate in their mother tongue while engaging with the broader world. These translations don’t just convert words; they capture the cultural nuances embedded in the language, offering a deeper understanding of what is being communicated.
In addition to translation, AI also supports interactive learning tools. For endangered languages, passing knowledge from one generation to the next can be a challenge, especially if younger people are more comfortable with technology than their native tongue. AI-powered learning modules provide engaging, interactive ways for individuals to reconnect with their native languages. These tools can make language learning fun and accessible, helping to bridge the gap between older and younger generations.
Reviving Lost Languages
Beyond preserving endangered languages, AI is also helping to revive languages that have already been lost. Through the analysis of historical records, audio files, and other linguistic materials, AI can assist linguists in reconstructing extinct languages.
One notable example is the Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project in the United States, which used AI to analyze archival materials and reconstruct the Wampanoag language that had not been spoken fluently for over a century. Today, thanks to AI, the Wampanoag people are once again learning and teaching their native language.
Empowering Marginalized Communities
The true power of AI lies not only in its ability to preserve languages but also in how it empowers marginalized communities to take control of their linguistic heritage. For many indigenous groups, language is the cornerstone of identity. Unfortunately, these communities have historically faced pressure to abandon their languages in favor of more dominant cultures and languages.
AI offers these communities the tools they need to reclaim their languages. Platforms like NightOwlGPT make AI technology accessible, allowing even small, remote communities to document, learn, and share their languages. By giving communities the ability to preserve their linguistic heritage, AI helps ensure that future generations can continue to speak and celebrate their native languages.
Conclusion: AI as a Cultural Ally
Artificial intelligence is proving to be an unexpected hero in the fight to save dying languages. By providing powerful tools for documentation, translation, and learning, AI is opening up new possibilities for preserving and even reviving endangered and lost languages.
As a member of the Karay-a community, I know firsthand the importance of language in maintaining our identity and connection to our past. AI gives us the chance to protect these languages, ensuring that the stories, traditions, and wisdom passed down through generations are not lost to time.
In this battle to save the world’s languages, AI is not replacing human culture—it is helping to ensure that it survives and thrives in the digital era. Through AI, we can give new life to languages that were once thought to be on the brink of extinction and empower the communities that speak them to reclaim their voices.