Google Translate now supports 110 new languages

Google Translate got a major upgrade on Thursday, now supporting 110 more languages. The new languages ​​were added using artificial intelligence (AI). The tech giant used its own PaLM 2 large language model (LLM), and it was particularly effective at learning languages ​​that were related to each other or were regional dialects of a language. The new additions also see the addition of the Indian regional languages ​​Awadhi and Marwadi to Google Translate.

Google Translate Gets 110 New Languages

In a blog postthe company said it is the biggest expansion Google Translate has ever received. Previously, the translation tool supported a total of 133 languages. After the expansion, the number will increase to 243 languages. In November 2022, Google announced its 1,000 Language Initiative. Under the initiative, the company has committed to building AI models to support the 1,000 most widely spoken languages ​​in the world. The 110 new languages ​​are part of that initiative.

To choose the new languages, Google prioritized the most widely used variants of each language. For example, it said that when considering the Romani language, which has many dialects across Europe, the AI ​​model chose the Southern Vlax Romani language, a widely used variant online. The choice was also determined by the availability of text on which the AI ​​model could be trained.

Some of the notable new additions are as follows. Cantonese has finally been added. Google says it was one of the most requested languages ​​for Google Translate. Afar, a tonal language spoken in Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia, was also added after the company found voluntary contributions from the community. Interestingly, a quarter of the total new languages ​​come from Africa.