We Need to Talk About Linguistic Diversity in AI

Of the 7,117 living languages currently known, Apple's Siri supports 21, Amazon Alexa eight, and Google Home 13. Our learned ability to use words to construct sentences that convey information, ideas, and emotions in an organized way makes us unique among animals. However, language has significance beyond communication. It is an expression of cultural identity, a demonstration of the existence of communities of peoples. According to Ethnologue: Languages of the World, there are currently 7,117 known living languages.