Google South Africa, in collaboration with the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), has launched a significant new initiative: an AI glossary standardising 100 key technology terms in Zulu, Xhosa, and Afrikaans. This project marks a critical step toward linguistic inclusion and digital empowerment for South Africans.
Read: Apple bumps entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro to M5 chip
At the launch event, Google South Africa Country Director Kabelo Makwane highlighted the urgent need to bridge the digital divide. He noted that technology conversations can often feel “distant” and “out of reach” for non-English speakers because the language of technology has not kept up with the richness of local dialects. Makwane quoted, “If you speak to a person in their home language, you speak to their heart,” emphasizing that connecting technology with mother tongues is essential for enabling African users to appreciate and fully participate in the global AI conversation. This work is part of Google’s broader commitment to ensuring Africans can not only use technology but also help in shaping it.
The glossary was developed through a highly collaborative process. Google, in partnership with Twaweza Communications and PanSALB, hosted round-table discussions and workshops involving linguists, AI experts, and academics. They prioritized languages with the highest number of speakers and common AI concepts.
See also
For example, the term “deepfake” is translated as diepvervalsing in Afrikaans, ideepfake in Xhosa, and ifihlabuwuwa in Zulu. Other defined terms include “conversational AI” and the concept of an AI “hallucination”—when an AI tool generates information that sounds credible but is factually incorrect.
PanSALB CEO Lance Schultz emphasized that this pilot project is scalable and allows for much greater development, calling the digital divide the “next great test” for South Africa’s democracy. Gerda Odendaal, chair of the Afrikaans National Language Body, stressed that the goal is not merely access but “agency,” ensuring users are not passive consumers of technology. The glossary is considered a living document, open to feedback, with plans to add more terms and additional South African indigenous languages in the future.
