Google AI Now Understands Kikuyu, Dholuo and Luganda

Google has expanded its WAXAL speech dataset to include Kikuyu, Dholuo, and Luganda, aiming to improve AI tools for African language speakers. 

The launch took place in Nairobi on 2 February 2026, marking a significant step in bridging the digital divide for millions of people in the region. The WAXAL dataset, developed over three years, now includes 1,250 hours of transcribed speech and more than 20 hours of studio-quality recordings. It is designed to support the creation of AI systems that can understand African languages, addressing a major gap in digital accessibility.

Aisha Walcott-Bryantt, Head of Google Research Africa, called the initiative transformative, highlighting its potential to empower people across the continent. The dataset provides resources for developers, researchers, and entrepreneurs to create technology that meets the needs of local communities and languages, benefiting over 100 million people.

The addition of Kikuyu, Dholuo, and Luganda is especially important for East Africa, where these languages are widely spoken but have been underrepresented in digital technologies. With this expansion, Google aims to enable applications such as voice assistants, speech-to-text systems, educational tools, and public services in languages that are more familiar to local populations, helping to overcome the language barrier where English is less commonly spoken.

The project has been developed in collaboration with academic and community organisations across Africa, including Makerere University in Uganda, the University of Ghana, and Digital Umuganda in Rwanda. Together, they have gathered speech data in 21 languages from 25 countries, with Swahili also included due to its widespread use in Kenya and beyond.

The WAXAL dataset is published under a Creative Commons licence, allowing developers to freely use and adapt the data within African contexts. The range of languages in the dataset, which includes Hausa, Yoruba, Shona, and Malagasy, reflects the linguistic diversity across the continent.