The Microsoft Language Bank, an initiative born from the 2022 Microsoft Hackathon, addresses the urgent need to preserve the world’s languages, 40% of which are endangered. Spearheaded by a team of ten in Beijing, the Language Bank employs AI to develop text-to-speech (TTS) technology for underrepresented languages like Inuktitut, Kurmanji, Hakka, and Minnan Chinese. By collecting voice data and innovating TTS technology, they reduce the time and cost of supporting new languages, enabling AI to serve a more diverse population. This initiative, part of Microsoft’s broader commitment to inclusivity and technological advancement, also involved significant collaboration with the Government of Nunavut to add Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun to Microsoft Translator. The Language Bank’s efforts are part of a larger mission fostered by The Garage at Microsoft, which promotes global innovation and collaboration through hackathons and other creative endeavors.
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