Botswana innovators create first AI that speaks Setswana

While this innovation advances Natural Language Processing (NLP) research, it is also a major step towards making technology more accessible to citizens who may not be comfortable using English or other dominant languages.

“I grew up seeing how technology was advancing globally, but it felt like our languages and cultures were being left behind,” Speaks explained to the Guardian Sun. He added that his determination to bridge the gap fuelled him to envision an AI that could seamlessly interact in Setswana.

To bring this vision to life, he partnered with Glen Mokoka, an experienced software engineer with a passion for African languages.

How Setswana AI works

Mokoka further explains that AI often sounds like something from a science fiction novel, but in reality, it is a highly advanced computer program capable of processing, understanding, and generating language.

“It can be used in various ways,” Mokoka elaborates. “In education, it can help students learn Setswana through interactive lessons or by translating difficult English concepts. In healthcare, it can provide medical information in Setswana, making it easier for people in rural areas to access essential health advice. Businesses can also benefit from it by using the AI for accounting, customer service, or even generating professional emails in Setswana.”

Highlighting the challenges in developing the Setswana AI noted that Setswana had limited digital linguistic resources. “We had to start from scratch. We collected books, newspapers, and even recorded conversations to build a dataset for the AI to learn from," Speaks said.

Another challenge was the complexity of Setswana grammar. “The way we use prefixes and suffixes can completely change the meaning of a word,” Mokoka explains. “Teaching the AI to recognise these patterns was a huge challenge.”

While the AI currently operates in standard Setswana, the innovators are working on incorporating regional dialects to make it more inclusive.