Saudi SDAIA Showcases Latest Speech Recognition Solutions 

Saudi SDAIA Showcases Latest Speech Recognition Solutions 
TT

Saudi SDAIA Showcases Latest Speech Recognition Solutions 

Saudi SDAIA Showcases Latest Speech Recognition Solutions 

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) is participating in the 2024 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing underway in Greece.

Major technology companies and artificial intelligence (AI) experts are attending the conference, which runs from August 31 to September 5.

During the conference, SDAIA tackled code-switching within sentences (CS), a common phenomenon in spoken languages that presents a significant challenge for Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) systems.

This is particularly relevant for those studying comparative linguistic phenomena, given the rarity of suitable data and the complexities of Arabic dialects.

The presentation focused on leveraging advancements in Large Language Models (LLMs) to enhance CS-ASR systems by generating text data that includes code-switching between Arabic and English.

The International Conference on Speech Processing Technologies is one of the leading global events in acoustic technologies. SDAIA is a pioneer in this field with its Voice system, developed by Saudi expertise.

The system allows speech-to-text conversion in Modern Standard Arabic and various Arabic dialects. It can be used for automating meeting transcriptions, developing chatbots, and building interactive voice systems.

SDAIA’s contribution to the conference includes sponsoring a workshop -- SyNDATA4GENAI 2024 -- in collaboration with SCAI, organized by several experts.

SDAIA is keen to participate in such major events to highlight the importance of advanced technologies and the progress achieved by Saudi Arabia in this field.



Volkswagen Warns of German Plant Closures, End to Job Security Scheme

VW logo badge is seen on display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, US, January 16, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
VW logo badge is seen on display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, US, January 16, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
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Volkswagen Warns of German Plant Closures, End to Job Security Scheme

VW logo badge is seen on display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, US, January 16, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
VW logo badge is seen on display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, US, January 16, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Volkswagen said on Monday it can no longer rule out plant closures in Germany as it seeks ways to save several billion euros at its namesake brand in a cost-cutting drive.

The carmaker considers one large vehicle plant and one component factory in Germany to be obsolete, its works council said, vowing "fierce resistance" to the executive board's plans.

Volkswagen said that it also felt forced to end its job security programme, which has been in place since 1994 and which prevents job cuts until 2029, adding all measures would be discussed with the works council, according to Reuters.

"The situation is extremely tense and cannot be overcome by simple cost-cutting measures," VW brand chief Thomas Schaefer said in a written statement.

The Volkswagen brand, which fuels most of the automaker's unit sales, is the first of the group's brands to undergo a cost-cutting drive targeting 10 billion euros ($11.07 billion) in savings by 2026 as it attempts to streamline spending to survive the transition to electric cars.

A difficult economic environment, new competitors in Europe, and the falling competitiveness of the German economy meant the carmaker needed to do more, Volkswagen Group Chief Executive Oliver Blume said in a statement to its management.