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Sony Research and AI Singapore (AISG) today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on research for the SEA-LION (Southeast Asian Languages In One Network) family of large language models (LLMs), which are specifically pre-trained and instruct-tuned for the Southeast Asian (SEA) region. Through this shared research endeavor, Sony Research and AISG aim to address the gap in the representation of SEA in the global LLM landscape and work to ensure LLMs are more globally representative of all languages and populations. The work will be conducted through Sony AI a division of Sony Research.

Under the agreement, Sony Research and AISG will explore testing and feedback of the SEA-LION model, particularly for Tamil and other Southeast Asian languages, as well as sharing best practices on LLM development and research methodologies. Leveraging Sony Research’s strong presence in India, the exploration will extend to its expertise in LLM development on Indian languages, including Tamil, and the applicability of its recent research in the areas of speech generation, content analysis and recognition. Tamil is estimated to be spoken by 60-85 million people worldwide, with many in India and the Southeast Asian region.

“Access to LLMs that address the global landscape of language and culture has been a barrier to driving research and developing new technologies that are representative and equitable for the global populations we serve,” said Hiroaki Kitano, President of Sony Research. “As a global company, diversity and localization are vital forces. In Southeast Asia specifically, there are more than a thousand different languages spoken by the citizens of the region. This linguistic diversity underscores the importance of ensuring AI models and tools are designed to support the needs of all populations around the world. We look forward to our collaboration with AISG and the potential to make AI work for everyone.”

“AI Singapore is excited to collaborate with Sony Research in this groundbreaking partnership. The integration of the SEA-LION model, with its Tamil language capabilities, holds great potential to boost the performance of new solutions. We are particularly eager to contribute to the testing and refinement of the SEA-LION models for Tamil and other Southeast Asian languages, while also sharing our expertise and best practices in LLM development. We look forward to seeing how this collaboration will drive innovation in multilingual AI technologies,” said Leslie Teo, Senior Director of AI Products, AI Singapore.

Sony Research’s Kitano has been an active participant in the Singapore technology community, and is affiliated with a number of organizations and initiatives within the country, spurring this collaboration. He currently is a member of Singapore’s Advisory Council on the Ethical Use of AI and Data, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), and the National Research Foundation, Singapore (NRF).

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