French telecommunications company Orange, serving 292 million customers worldwide as of September 30, 2024, announced on November 26 its partnership with OpenAI and Meta to fine-tune AI large language models (LLMs) for understanding African regional languages that are currently unsupported by any generative AI model. Orange aims to expand open-source AI models to include African regional languages for the first time, promoting digital inclusion.
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Fine-Tuning OpenAI and Meta AI Models
Orange plans to fine-tune OpenAI's open-source speech models and Meta's openly available Llama 3.1 model to support regional African languages. This project aims to develop custom AI models that enable customers to communicate naturally in their local languages with Orange for customer support and sales.
These AI models will also be made available under a free license for non-commercial uses, such as public health, education, and other community services, Orange confirmed.
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African Language Recognition project
Orange intends to help drive AI innovation in these regional languages including by collaborating on these new AI models with local startups and other technology companies, and by doing so, to mitigate the growing digital divide faced by people all across the African continent.
The project is set to launch in the first half of 2025, with an initial focus on Wolof and Pulaar, spoken by approximately 16 million and six million people, respectively, in West Africa. Orange said its long-term goal is to collaborate with AI providers to develop models that recognise all African languages spoken and written across its 18-country footprint in the region.
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Orange's AI Vision
"By fine-tuning leading AI models such as OpenAI's 'Whisper' speech model and Meta's 'Llama' text model with diverse examples of these languages, we will enable them to better understand these regional languages. Orange's vision is to make AI and other related advances accessible to all, including illiterate populations, who are currently unable to benefit from the potential of artificial intelligence. The initiative is a blueprint for how AI can be used to benefit those currently excluded," Orange said.
Orange and OpenAI Sign an Agreement
In addition to this regional African language recognition project, OpenAI and Orange have signed an agreement that will provide Orange with direct access to OpenAI's models, available for the first time in Europe with data processing and hosting in European data centres, enabling Orange to work on improving existing solutions across its footprint.
Furthermore, Orange said this new partnership will also facilitate early access to OpenAI's latest and most advanced AI models, enabling the realisation of other key use cases such as AI-based voice interactions with Orange customers.
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Committed to Responsible AI
Orange reiterated its commitment to 'Responsible AI,' where the company carefully chooses the most appropriate and simplest solution for each AI use case. Orange concluded by saying it is committed to playing a key role in the development of Responsible AI in Africa as well as promoting open-source AI in Europe.
