Meta Set To Roll Out AI In Swahili & Kikuyu Languages

Meta, which owns social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp, is planning to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) services in Swahili and Kikuyu languages, which will suit Kenyans.

In its blog post dated September 24, Meta revealed that it is planning to develop an AI platform that will provide responses in Swahili and Kikuyu to users interested in farming in Kenya.

This is part of the Facebook parent company's plans for advancing its technology across the world. As detailed in its post, the AI platform, Llama, will be beneficial for farmers seeking knowledge not only about agriculture but also about the environment.

"Digital Green’s Farmer Chat project aims to develop a multilingual AI chatbot that provides customized, on-demand agricultural advisory services to small-scale farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa," Meta revealed.

President William Ruto taking a look at a maize on his farm at Trans Mara on June 28, 2023. /PCS

Meta added that Llama will be fine-tuned on a vast repository of agricultural data to adapt the model to the specific needs and contexts of different regions. 

"Llama’s conversational capabilities will then be used to provide comprehensive and practical responses in a variety of languages including Hindi, Swahili, and Kikuyu," added the blog post.

AI is one of the emerging technological advancements in the world today as is aimed at making life easier for human beings across vital sectors such as education, health and agriculture.

The most common AI platforms that have gained traction in Kenya in recent years include Chat GPT and Google's chatbot Gemini AI.

The tech giant’s latest announcement comes on the heels of the 2023 Llama Impact Grants and Innovation Awards, highlighting Meta’s strategic push to enhance AI’s relevance in Kenya and beyond. This initiative aims to bridge the language gap and make AI more accessible to millions across East Africa.

Llama, launched by Meta AI in February 2023, is already a frontrunner in AI language models. Meta's move to expand its capabilities to include Swahili and Kikuyu is seen as a game-changer in localising technology.

Kenyan innovators are being presented with a unique opportunity to utilise AI to solve local challenges, signalling the country’s rising influence in the global tech arena. Meta’s impact grants are open until November 2024, inviting local tech enthusiasts to leverage AI for social good.

This will provide a good avenue for employment to many as Kenya seeks more opportunities for unemployed youth. 

Meta’s expansion plan was unveiled during the awards ceremony, with Kenyan innovators Jacaranda Health taking the spotlight as runners-up. Their digital health tool, prompts and uses SMS nudges as well as AI-enabled support to assist new mothers in seeking appropriate care. 

The innovation is expected to become a vital resource for maternal and newborn health across Sub-Saharan Africa, demonstrating the kind of impact Meta’s Llama models can achieve when aligned with local needs.