Meta, the parent company of popular social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, has announced the launch of SeamlessM4T, an AI model designed to translate speech in up to 100 languages. This innovative technology aims to enhance communication among individuals who speak different languages and bridge the language barrier on the internet.
According to Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, SeamlessM4T is a multimodal AI model that facilitates more effective communication between people who speak different languages. It is capable of performing various functions, including speech-to-text, text-to-speech, speech recognition, and translation in up to 100 languages. By integrating this AI model into Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Threads, Meta aims to provide a seamless and inclusive experience for users worldwide.
Meta’s SeamlessM4T supports speech recognition in a wide range of languages, making it a versatile tool for understanding and communicating information. Additionally, Meta is publicly releasing SeamlessM4T under a research license, allowing other researchers and developers to build upon this technology. In line with the company’s commitment to open science, Meta is also sharing the metadata of SeamlessAlign, a comprehensive multimodal translation dataset consisting of 270,000 hours of speech and text alignments.
This new AI model builds upon Meta’s previously launched No Language Left Behind (NLLB) initiative, a text-to-text machine translation model that supports 200 languages and is integrated into Wikipedia. Meta has also showcased the Universal Speech Translator, a groundbreaking speech-to-speech translation system for Hokkien, a language that lacks a widely used writing system. Furthermore, Meta has introduced Massively Multilingual Speech, which provides speech recognition, language identification, and speech synthesis technology across over 1,100 languages.
Meta’s commitment to improving communication and understanding across languages demonstrates their dedication to creating a more connected and inclusive digital world. Through the integration of SeamlessM4T and other language-related advancements, Meta aims to enhance user experience and accessibility on their platforms. As the company continues to embrace open science and collaboration, the possibilities for innovation in language technology are vast.
In conclusion, Meta’s launch of SeamlessM4T marks a significant milestone in the development of AI models for language translation and recognition. With a focus on open science and inclusivity, Meta is dedicated to empowering users worldwide to communicate and comprehend information in any language. By integrating these advancements into their platforms, Meta aims to foster meaningful connections and bridge language barriers on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Threads.
