Google AI tools now fluent in four SA languages – including Afrikaans, isiZulu
Google’s AI search tools now support four of SA's official languages, expanding access to AI tech for South African users.
Tech giant Google has expanded its artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support 13 African languages, including four widely spoken in South Africa.
The update means Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode features can now respond in Afrikaans, isiZulu, Sesotho and Setswana, alongside English.
It is part of a broader effort by Google to make its AI tools more accessible to users across Africa.
AI Overviews generate short summaries of search results, while AI Mode allows users to ask follow-up questions through text, voice or images.
AI expansion includes Afrikaans and isiZulu
The expansion adds support for several African languages, including Akan (Ghana); Amharic and Afaan Oromoo (Ethiopia); Hausa and Yorùbá (Nigeria); Kinyarwanda (Rwanda); Kiswahili (Kenya and Tanzania); Somali (Somalia and Kenya); and Wolof (Senegal).
According to Google South Africa country director Kabelo Makwane, language accessibility is key to making technology useful for more people.
“When technology only speaks a dominant international language like English, it marginalises millions of people whose first languages reflect a different culture, identity, and way of understanding information,” Makwane said.
He added that expanding language support allows users to interact with AI in ways that feel more natural.
“By adding more African languages to AI Overviews and AI Mode, we’re helping people interact with AI naturally – in the languages that shape how they think and create.”
African language development in tech continues
The expansion builds on Google’s Waxal language project, which focuses on improving how AI systems understand African languages.
The initiative combines machine learning, linguistic research and community input to strengthen local-language technology.
Google said the languages were selected based on strong search activity across the continent.
The update is designed to help students, teachers, entrepreneurs and translators use AI tools in their everyday work.
It also aims to make online information easier to access for people who prefer searching in their home language.
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