The collaboration will begin with an initial
focus on exploring SEA-LION for the Tamil language
TOKYO and SINGAPORE, Sept. 9,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Research and AI
Singapore (AISG) today announced
the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate
on research for the SEA-LION (Southeast Asian Languages In One
Network) family of large language models (LLMs), which are
specifically pre-trained and instruct-tuned for the Southeast Asian
(SEA) region. Through this shared research endeavor, Sony Research
and AISG aim to address the gap in the representation of SEA in the
global LLM landscape and work to ensure LLMs are more globally
representative of all languages and populations. The work will be
conducted through Sony AI a division of Sony Research.
Under the agreement, Sony Research and AISG will explore testing
and feedback of the SEA-LION model, particularly for Tamil and
other Southeast Asian languages, as well as sharing best practices
on LLM development and research methodologies. Leveraging Sony
Research's strong presence in India, the exploration will extend to its
expertise in LLM development on Indian languages, including Tamil,
and the applicability of its recent research in the areas of speech
generation, content analysis and recognition. Tamil is estimated to
be spoken by 60-85 million people worldwide, with many in
India and the Southeast Asian
region.
"Access to LLMs that address the global landscape of language
and culture has been a barrier to driving research and developing
new technologies that are representative and equitable for the
global populations we serve," said Hiroaki
Kitano, President of Sony Research. "As a global company,
diversity and localization are vital forces. In Southeast Asia specifically, there are more
than a thousand different languages spoken by the citizens of the
region. This linguistic diversity underscores the importance of
ensuring AI models and tools are designed to support the needs of
all populations around the world. We look forward to our
collaboration with AISG and the potential to make AI work for
everyone."
"AI Singapore is excited to collaborate with Sony Research in
this groundbreaking partnership. The integration of the SEA-LION
model, with its Tamil language capabilities, holds great potential
to boost the performance of new solutions. We are particularly
eager to contribute to the testing and refinement of the SEA-LION
models for Tamil and other Southeast Asian languages, while also
sharing our expertise and best practices in LLM development. We
look forward to seeing how this collaboration will drive innovation
in multilingual AI technologies," said Leslie Teo, Senior Director of AI Products, AI
Singapore.
Sony Research's Kitano has been an active participant in the
Singapore technology community and
is affiliated with a number of organizations and initiatives within
the country, spurring this collaboration. He currently is a member
of Singapore's Advisory Council on
the Ethical Use of AI and Data, the Infocomm Media Development
Authority (IMDA), the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB),
and the National Research Foundation, Singapore (NRF).
About Sony Research
Sony Research Inc. was established
in April 2023 as a wholly owned
subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation with the mission to "pioneer
the future of creation." To achieve this, Sony Research will
undertake research and development of unprecedented disruptive
technologies that aim to empower creators around the world to
maximize their creativity, the value of their IP, and fan
engagement. Operating globally with partners around the world, Sony
Research will initially focus on the research areas of Sensing, AI,
and Virtual Spaces with plans to encompass additional research
areas and challenges in the future. For more information visit
https://research.sony.
About AI Singapore
AI Singapore (AISG) is a national programme
launched by the National Research Foundation (NRF), Singapore, to catalyse, synergise and boost
Singapore's artificial
intelligence (AI) capabilities to power our future digital
economy.
AISG will bring together all Singapore-based research institutions and the
vibrant ecosystem of AI start-ups and companies developing AI
products, to perform use-inspired research, grow the knowledge,
create the tools, and develop the talent to power Singapore's AI efforts.
AISG is driven by a government-wide partnership comprising NRF,
Smart Nation Group (SNG), Infocomm Media Development Authority
(IMDA), Economic Development Board (EDB), Enterprise Singapore
(EnterpriseSG), amongst others.
For more information on AI Singapore, please visit
https://www.aisingapore.org.
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SOURCE Sony Research Inc.