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Māori Voice Model Challenges Big Tech Dominance
A Māori-owned text-to-speech model, developed by the University of Waikato, aims to reduce reliance on dominant tech companies' AI systems.
The University of Waikato has developed a Māori-owned text-to-speech model designed to challenge the dominance of major tech companies in AI voice technology. The initiative, led by Te Taka Keegan, a computer scientist and codirector of the Artificial Intelligence Institute at the University of Waikato, seeks to create an alternative to widely used AI voice models from companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. The model, which focuses on the Māori language, is part of a broader movement to develop indigenous-owned AI technologies that prioritize cultural preservation and local control over global tech giants' systems. According to Te Taka Keegan, the project aims to provide Māori communities with greater autonomy in the use of their language and technology. The model is currently in development and is expected to be released in the near future. *Source: [ieee](https://spectrum.ieee.org/indigenous-ai-voice-models-maori)*
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- The University of Waikato developed a Māori-owned text-to-speech model.
- Te Taka Keegan leads the Artificial Intelligence Institute's work on Māori language and technology.
- The model is part of a global effort to create indigenous-owned AI technologies.
- The initiative seeks to reduce reliance on dominant tech companies' AI systems.
- The model focuses on the Māori language.
- The project aims to provide Māori communities with greater autonomy in language and technology use.