Digital Dharma: New AI Language Tool Launched to Help Preserve Tibetan Cultural Heritage

- through Henry Oudin

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His Holiness the Dalai Lama is presented at Monlam AI. From instagram.com / monlam.ai

Tibetan Computer Research Center Monlam, an educational software developer based in Dharamsala, northern India, launched its new artificial intelligence (AI) software tool Monlam to the Tibetan community earlier this month. The developers hope the new AI tool will help preserve Tibet's vast cultural heritage, including Buddhist literature, history, music and texts.

The launch took place on November 2 at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts in McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, in the presence of Sikyong Penpa Tsering, sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and CTA President Khenpo Sonam Tenphel. Earlier the same day, the developers gave a live demonstration of the AI ​​software in the Tibetan language to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

“The new features of the software (monlam.ai) were introduced to the audience after a brief opening speech by Geshe Lobsang Monlam, founder and CEO of the Tibetan Monlam Computer Research Center, (which made) its debut in today's world of artificial intelligence. intelligence that has recently attracted massive attention around the world,” CTA said in a recent statement. “This pioneering Tibetan AI tool allows users to access four main machine learning models: the machine translation model, the optical character recognition model, the speech-to-text model and the text-to-speech model. » (Central Tibetan Administration)

Tenzin Nyima, executive director of Monlam IT Research Center. From twitter.com
Geshe Lobsang Monlam at the Monlam AI launch event. From twitter.com

Considered a major breakthrough in Tibetan educational software development, Monlam AI uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to translate written and spoken Tibetan into English, Chinese and other languages, much faster and with more precision than existing translation software.

“One of the many capabilities of this AI tool is that it will increase the efficiency and accuracy of the translation of Tibetan religious texts, teachings and literary writings,” explained Geshe Lobsang. “Moreover, in the initial phase of experimenting with this AI tool, some Tibetan and non-Tibetan translators observed that these tools would not only speed up the process, but also facilitate better adaptation in this rapidly changing environment. » (FRG)

Geshe Lobsang added that developers at the Monlam Tibetan Computer Research Center were working on other features to recognize Tibetan religious manuscripts in wood-carved images and convert them into digital text.

Geshe Lobsang Monlam at the Monlam AI launch event. From twitter.com

“The launch of Monlam AI represents a significant step forward for the Tibetan community as they embrace modern technology to preserve their cultural heritage and facilitate communication in the digital age,” said the Tibet Rights Collective, an advocacy group and policy research based in Delhi. ” said in a statement after the launch event. “With the support of prominent leaders such as Sikyong Penpa Tsering and President Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, the Monlam AI tool promises to make valuable contributions to the Tibetan diaspora and beyond. » (Tibet Rights Collective)

Geshe Lobsang was born in Amdo Ngaba in Tibet and was ordained as a monk at Trosig Monastery after completing primary school. He began tantric and liturgical studies at the age of 16, as well as traditional studies. thangkha paint. After fleeing to India in 1993, he became a student at Seramey Monastery University, where he studied Buddhist philosophy for 16 years.

Geshe Lobsang founded the Monlam Tibetan Computer Research Center in 2012, under the leadership of the Dalai Lama, with a focus on developing software, fonts and other digital tools related to Tibetan language and culture. He contributed to the standardization of fonts for Tibetan writing, developing the first Tibetan font Monlam in 2005.

In 2022, Geshe Lobsang and a team of more than 150 editors and contributors published the Tibetan Dictionary of Greater Monlam of more than 360 words, which gave birth to 000 applications and a website. This nine-year project, supported by the Dalai Lama Trust, helped preserve and spread the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism.

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Henry Oudin

Henry Oudin is a Buddhist scholar, spiritual adventurer and journalist. He is a passionate seeker of the depths of Buddhist wisdom, and travels regularly to learn more about Buddhism and spiritual cultures. By sharing his knowledge and life experiences on Buddhist News, Henry hopes to inspire others to embrace more spiritual and mindful ways of living.

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