The 13 languages were selected based on strong and growing search usage across the continent. (Image: Supplied)
Google is rolling out support for 13 African languages across its AI-powered search features, expanding access to tools such as AI Overviews and AI Mode for millions of users across the continent.
For South Africa, the newly-supported languages include Afrikaans, Sesotho, Setswana and isiZulu, allowing users to search and interact with AI in their preferred language rather than relying only on English.
AI Overviews provides users with a concise, AI-generated summary at the top of search results, accompanied by links to relevant sources. AI Mode allows users to explore topics further within search by asking follow-up questions using text, voice or images.
“When technology only speaks a dominant international language like English, it marginalises millions of people whose first languages reflect a different culture, identity and way of understanding information,” says Kabelo Makwane, country director for Google South Africa.
“Africans are building, creating and innovating in every field, yet much of today’s technology doesn’t speak their language. By adding more African languages to AI Overviews and AI Mode, we’re helping people interact with AI naturally − in the languages that shape how they think and create.”
The expansion draws on insights from Google’s Waxal language project, which combines machine learning, linguistic research and community collaboration to improve how AI systems understand and generate African languages.
The name Waxal means “to speak” in Wolof, reflecting the project’s aim to make digital communication more inclusive and locally relevant.
Google says the new language support will allow students, teachers, translators, entrepreneurs and everyday users to engage more actively with AI tools in their own languages.
It notes the languages were selected based on strong search activity across Sub-Saharan Africa, targeting communities in South Africa, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda, Tanzania, Botswana, Senegal and Somalia.
“No one should be excluded from the AI economy because their first language isn’t English,” says Makwane. “When Africans can search, learn and build in their own languages, AI becomes a driver of inclusive growth.”
Users can access the new features through the Google mobile app or a mobile browser by selecting AI Mode and typing or speaking their query in one of the supported languages.
The newly-supported languages are Afrikaans, Akan, Amharic, Hausa, Kinyarwanda, Afaan Oromoo, Somali, Sesotho, Kiswahili, Setswana, Wolof, Yorùbá and isiZulu.
Meanwhile, in an effort to ensure the continent’s linguistic diversity is represented, Lelapa AIcollaborated with Way With Words and the University of Pretoria’s Data Science for Social Impact to unveil a framework dedicated to AI ethics and inclusion.
Named the Esethu Framework, the model aims to ensure African language speakers are not only contributors to AI research, but also beneficiaries of its growth, says Lelapa AI.
It is a sustainable data curation model that gives African communities greater control over their linguistic data, while ensuring ongoing reinvestment in new African language datasets.
Speaking at the ITWeb Artificial Intelligence Summit last year, Neda Smith, chartered CIO of Agile Advisory Services, said the lack of African language inclusion in AI systems has a devastating impact, shutting out millions of Africans from the digital world.
Smith noted the pressing need to bring African languages to the forefront of AI innovation.
