Project Description
This project is a community-driven initiative aimed at developing artificial intelligence tools for the Hawaiian language (ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi), with a particular focus on speech recognition and language preservation. It operates by collecting voice data from speakers who read predefined sentences through a mobile app or web platform, thereby generating training data for machine learning models capable of converting spoken Hawaiian into text and supporting related language technologies. Developed through collaborations between Indigenous organizations and research partners, most notably Te Hiku Media, the project emphasizes community participation, data sovereignty, and culturally grounded governance of linguistic resources. By prioritizing collective ownership and stewardship of language data, Lauleo seeks not only to advance AI capabilities but also to support long-term language revitalization and technological self-determination for Indigenous communities.
