Analysis: Artificial intelligence could be the key to narrowing the language inequality gap that locks aspiring Gaeilgeoirí out of learning the language
Immersion is widely recognised as one of the most effective ways to gain fluency in a language. That's why schools bring French students to France, or why trips to the Gaeltacht and staying in Irish colleges have long been central to the budding Gaeilgeoir’s journey.
But immersion is no longer limited to physical spaces and now extends to the digital locations we travel to using our devices. However, most platforms, from websites and social media to everyday software still fail to support the Irish language. Services like Google offer only the illusion of inclusion, translating a handful of interface terms while disabling key features that would otherwise function in English. Other popular platforms like Instagram and Snapchat do not provide any language options for Gaeilgeoirí.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Claire Byrne, reporter Brian O'Connell meets the Palestinian, Cuban and British people learning Irish in Kerry
So if young people and aspiring Gaeilgeoirí cannot immerse themselves in the language by visiting these digital destinations, how can they effectively learn the language? Artificial intelligence (AI) powered technologies could be the key to narrowing the language inequality gap that locks Gaeilgeoirí and aspiring Gaeilgeoirí out of learning the language.
With governments in Ireland and around the world committing to using AI tools in tandem with public services, it is more important than ever to highlight that existing AI tools do not accurately represent the Irish language. Injecting Irish-agnostic AI into public services alone could further disempower Gaeilgeoirí, reduce their access to services in the language and dilute the richness of regional dialects.
Why aren't these AI technologies currently suited to Gaeilge? Think of them like The Incredible Book Eating Boy: the more books they consume, the smarter they get. In this case, the 'books' are data. The more diverse, representative, and language-rich the training data is, the better the AI performs.
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From RTÉ Kids' Cookie Bytes, Dr. Emma Clarke on AI's hidden superpowers around translating languages
Right now, though, Irish simply isn't on the menu. English dominates these models because most of the training data available is in English. As of April 2025, it is estimated that English is used by 49.2% of websites whose content language is known, with Irish being used by less than 0.1% of the websites. These statistics alone present the major challenge facing Irish language AI tool creation.
The domination of some AI models has been described as colonialist, given that they tend to enforce dominant Western languages. The same description could apply to Irish given that the language itself is shaped by the legacy of colonialism.
With over half of large enterprises and 15% of all enterprises in Ireland using AI, it is clear that the technology is already embedded in the economy. Those enterprises that rely on the technology for customer support, language processing and productivity have an opportunity to localise their services in such a way that could be inclusive of Irish, but also others within the 7000+ living languages and beyond.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's The Business, Siofra Mulqueen gets tips about how to use your cúpla focal around the office
Let’s imagine that adequate resources were sourced for training Irish AI tools - what could this kind of technology be used for? Some of my research has investigated the potential for AI-powered Irish language tutors. Conversational ChatGPT-style dialogue could provide Gaeilgeoirí with ample opportunity to practice the language. Modern AI-powered translation services could allow people to consume digital content without compromising on Irish language immersion.
Spell checkers and effective predictive text tools could significantly ease day-to-day communication for Gaeilgeoirí, transforming technology from a barrier to a powerful tool that fosters and supports Irish language use. With more than two in five internet users using a virtual assistant like Alexa in the home, AI tools for Gaeilge could pave the way for virtual assistants with Irish language support. Including Irish in these technological advances could enable anyone to immerse themselves in the language with ease.
Ultimately, this technology could be used to preserve the language itself. As theoretical linguist Noam Chomsky once suggested, language is not solely for communication and allows us to express ourselves and create and deepen our understanding of the world. AI technology could act as a time capsule that takes a snapshot of the language as it exists today, helping to preserve not only the language but the culture embedded within it.
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From RTÉ Upfront, actor and comedia Michael Fry on the value of learning Irish
Given these challenges, how can Gaeilgeoirí attempt to immerse themselves in these digital locations at the moment? I’m a huge fan of the work of Gaeilgeoirí like Kevin Scannell who constantly push the boat out in terms of developing tools to develop and promote Irish language content on the internet. His work, along with Aonghus Ó hAlmhain and Dennis King, to extend Bluesky, a decentralised social media alternative to Twitter, to work for Irish is a huge win in fostering digital spaces that are not only inclusive of Gaeilgeoirí but also empowering them through connecting with others.
If AI is going to shape our digital future, we must ensure that future speaks more than just English
In a similar light, I created a custom feed for Bluesky that uses AI to detect all Irish language posts on the platform. This custom feed combined with the Irish interface theoretically enables users to immerse themselves completely on a social media platform as Gaeilge.
If AI is going to shape our digital future, we must ensure that future speaks more than just English. Irish deserves to thrive not only in classrooms or Irish colleges, but in every swipe, scroll, and search. This means funding open-source Irish datasets and supporting those developing and researching Irish language technology. Without digital inclusion, true language revival will always be out of reach.
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
