Howard University And Google Team Up To Advance AI Speech Recognition For African American English
Source: Liubomyr Vorona / Getty
In a significant move toward advancing inclusivity in technology, Howard University and Google Research have unveiled a new dataset designed to enhance how automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems serve Black users. The collaboration, part of Project Elevate Black Voices , involved researchers traveling nationwide to document the unique dialects, accents, and speech patterns commonly found in Black communities, features often misinterpreted or ignored by current AI systems.
The project spotlights African American English (AAE)—also known as African American Vernacular English, Black English, Ebonics, or simply 'Black talk'—a culturally rich and historically rooted linguistic form. Due to systemic bias in the development of AI tools, Black users have frequently encountered errors or been misunderstood by voice technologies, sometimes feeling pressured to alter their natural speech just to be recognized by these systems— a classic form of code switching.
Researchers at Howard University and Google are on a mission to change this.
'African American English has been at the forefront of United States culture since almost the beginning of the country,' shared Gloria Washington, Ph.D., a Howard University researcher and the co-principal investigator of Project Elevate Black Voices , in a press release. 'Voice assistant technology should understand different dialects of all African American English to truly serve not just African Americans, but other persons who speak these unique dialects. It's about time that we provide the best experience for all users of these technologies.'
To build this groundbreaking dataset, researchers gathered 600 hours of speech from participants representing various AAE dialects across 32 states. The goal was to confront hidden barriers that hinder the effectiveness of automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems for Black users. One of the key findings was that AAE is significantly underrepresented in existing speech datasets, not because the language isn't spoken, but because many Black users have been socially conditioned to alter their natural speech when interacting with voice technology. This phenomenon, often rooted in the need to be understood by systems that don't recognize AAE, leads to a lack of authentic representation.
A 2023 Google blog post highlighted another challenge: privacy and security policies, while essential, create additional constraints on the collection of AAE-specific voice data. These self-imposed limits make it harder to amass the scale and authenticity of data required to close the gap in performance.
Despite these challenges, progress is being made. Researchers are now using dialect classifiers to identify AAE within broader datasets, a promising first step toward building more inclusive technologies. Howard University will maintain ownership and licensing rights to the dataset, serving as its ethical guardian to ensure it's used responsibly and for the benefit of Black communities. Google, in turn, will be able to use the dataset to enhance its own ASR products, part of a broader effort to make AI tools more equitable across dialects, languages, and accents globally.
SEE MORE:
What Are Racial Microaggressions?
Black Culture, White Face: How the Internet Helped Hijack Our Culture
SEE ALSO
Howard University And Google Team Up To Advance AI Speech Recognition For African American English was originally published on newsone.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
26 minutes ago
- The Hill
Canadian Prime Minister Carney says trade talks with US resume after Canada rescinded tech tax
TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said late Sunday trade talks with U.S. have resumed after Canada rescinded its plan to tax U.S. technology firms. U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he was suspending trade talks with Canada over its plans to continue with its tax on technology firms, which he called 'a direct and blatant attack on our country.' The Canadian government said 'in anticipation' of a trade deal 'Canada would rescind' the Digital Serves Tax. The tax was set to go into effect Monday. Carney and Trump spoke on the phone Sunday, and Carney's office said they agreed to resume negotiations. 'Today's announcement will support a resumption of negotiations toward the July 21, 2025, timeline set out at this month's G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis,' Carney said in a statement. Carney visited Trump in May at the White House, where he was polite but firm. Trump traveled to Canada for the G7 summit in Alberta, where Carney said that Canada and the U.S. had set a 30-day deadline for trade talks. Trump, in a post on his social media network last Friday, said Canada had informed the U.S. that it was sticking to its plan to impose the digital services tax, which applies to Canadian and foreign businesses that engage with online users in Canada. The digital services tax was due to hit companies including Amazon, Google, Meta, Uber and Airbnb with a 3% levy on revenue from Canadian users. It would have applied retroactively, leaving U.S. companies with a $2 billion U.S. bill due at the end of the month. 'Rescinding the digital services tax will allow the negotiations of a new economic and security relationship with the United States to make vital progress,' Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said in a statement. Champagne also spoke with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday. Trump's announcement Friday was the latest swerve in the trade war he's launched since taking office for a second term in January. Progress with Canada has been a roller coaster, starting with the U.S. president poking at the nation's northern neighbor and repeatedly suggesting it would be absorbed as a U.S. state. Canada and the U.S. have been discussing easing a series of steep tariffs Trump imposed on goods from America's neighbor. Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum as well as 25% tariffs on autos. He is also charging a 10% tax on imports from most countries, though he could raise rates on July 9, after the 90-day negotiating period he set would expire. Canada and Mexico face separate tariffs of as much as 25% that Trump put into place under the auspices of stopping fentanyl smuggling, though some products are still protected under the 2020 U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement signed during Trump's first term.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Canada and US Trade Talks Resume After Digital Tax Reversal
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Canada and the United States have resumed trade negotiations after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney agreed to rescind the country's digital services tax on U.S. technology companies. The development follows President Donald Trump's announcement on Friday that he was suspending all trade talks with Canada "effective immediately" over the tax policy. Why It Matters Trump's Friday announcement followed Canada's confirmation that it would proceed with its digital services tax on technology giants, most of which are U.S.-based, despite a previous G7 agreement where the Trump administration had agreed to drop a retaliatory tax proposal from congressional consideration. Canada's quick reversal signals the high stakes involved in maintaining trade relationships with the United States, particularly given the countries' deeply integrated economies. What To Know Carney's office confirmed on Sunday that both leaders have agreed to restart negotiations after Canada committed to abandoning the 3 percent levy targeting major U.S. tech giants including Amazon, Google, Meta, Uber, and Airbnb. The tax was scheduled to take effect Monday and would have applied retroactively, creating an estimated $2 billion bill for American companies. The conflict escalated rapidly after Canada's Finance Department confirmed Friday that companies would still be required to make their first digital tax payments Monday, despite ongoing negotiations. The tax targeted revenue generated from Canadian users rather than corporate profits, making it particularly burdensome for technology companies operating internationally. Trump's response was immediate and severe. He announced the suspension of all trade discussions "effective immediately" and threatened to impose new tariffs on Canadian goods within seven days. The president criticized Canada as "a very difficult Country to TRADE with" and described the digital tax as "a direct and blatant attack on our Country." The dispute has unfolded against already strained U.S.-Canada relations. Since taking office in January, Trump has repeatedly criticized Canada and suggested it should become the 51st U.S. state. These tensions contributed to the political environment that led to Justin Trudeau's resignation and Mark Carney's subsequent election on an anti-Trump platform. Canada's decision to rescind the tax came "in anticipation" of reaching a broader trade agreement, according to government officials. What People Are Saying Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday: Canada will "continue to conduct these complex negotiations in the best interests of Canadians. It's a negotiation." President Donald Trump previously said in the Oval Office that he expected Canada to lift the digital services tax: "Economically we have such power over Canada. We'd rather not use it. It's not going to work out well for Canada. They were foolish to do it." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (R) greets U.S. President Donald Trump at the official welcome ceremony during the G7 Leaders' Summit on June 16, 2025 in Kananaskis, Alberta. Canada is hosting this year's meeting... Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (R) greets U.S. President Donald Trump at the official welcome ceremony during the G7 Leaders' Summit on June 16, 2025 in Kananaskis, Alberta. Canada is hosting this year's meeting of the world's seven largest economies. MoreWhat Happens Next With negotiations resuming, both countries will likely focus on addressing broader trade issues beyond the digital services tax. The Trump administration has indicated expectations for additional Canadian concessions, particularly regarding agricultural tariffs that have been a longstanding source of friction. Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Down 30%, Should You Buy the Dip on IonQ?
Quantum computing soared following the release of Google's Willow quantum chip in December. IonQ is still deeply unprofitable, but the company expects its revenue to double this year. The company is building momentum following a deal with EPB and multiple acquisitions. 10 stocks we like better than IonQ › Quantum computing stocks captivated investors like few other sectors in recent months. Ever since Alphabet's Google announced its state-of-the-art quantum chip, Willow, in December, quantum computing stocks have soared. Many investors see them as the next major technology on the horizon, following in the footsteps of artificial intelligence (AI). One of the biggest players in AI is IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), a developer and seller of quantum computers. The company sells hardware, software, and services, making its quantum computers available through providers like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, a business model known as quantum-computing-as-a-service (QCaaS). IonQ differentiates itself from other publicly traded quantum computing stocks like Rigetti Computing, D-Wave Quantum, and Quantum Computing because of its trapped-ion technology, which uses atoms suspended in a vacuum and manipulated with lasers. Right now is also an excellent time to consider buying IonQ stock, as it's down 30% from its peak late last year, and it's pulled back by nearly as much after a surge in late May, following an interview in Barron's with CEO Niccolo de Masi, who said the company aimed to be the "Nvidia of quantum computing." With IonQ stock having cooled off a bit in June, let's take a closer look at what the stock has to offer. Despite a market cap over $10 billion, IonQ is still essentially a development-stage company, as it brought in just $7.6 million in revenue in the first quarter. However, that was down slightly from the year before, showing the company is not delivering the kind of growth you might expect from a high-priced stock like IonQ. IonQ is also deeply unprofitable, with the company posting a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) operating loss of $75.7 million in the period, or 10 times what it brought in revenue. It does expect revenue growth to accelerate over the remainder of the year, forecasting $75 million to $95 million in revenue for the full year. That forecast, which includes some small acquisitions, targets revenue roughly doubling from $43.1 million last year. There are other signs the company is making progress. It signed a $22 million deal with EPB of Chattanooga, an energy and telecom company, and it's waiting to close on its acquisition of Lightsynq Technologies, a maker of quantum interconnects to bridge the gap to large-scale quantum computers. IonQ also took part in Nvidia's first-ever Quantum Day, where it demonstrated quantum-accelerated computation and commercially relevant applications, further evidence that quantum computing could is progressing toward mainstream. Additionally, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in June that the technology is at an inflection point, comments that came just months after he said that "very useful" quantum computers could be decades away. There's no question that there's a ton of uncertainty around quantum computing stocks right now. Valuations have been inflated by the attention placed on the sector following Google's announcement about Willow last December. Based on IonQ's guidance, the company still trades at a price-to-sales ratio of more than 100 using its 2025 forecast. However, there is real momentum in the industry, and analysts expect IonQ's revenue to double both this year and next. Given its leadership in quantum computing, business momentum, and expected revenue growth, opening a small position in the stock seems reasonable for risk-tolerant investors. Keep in mind that the risk with IonQ remains high at the current valuation, and the stock could fall a long way if its performance comes up short in the coming quarters. Before you buy stock in IonQ, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and IonQ wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $713,547!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $966,931!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,062% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 177% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 23, 2025 Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Jeremy Bowman has positions in Amazon and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Down 30%, Should You Buy the Dip on IonQ? was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
