At the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Hungary emerged as an unexpected pioneer in cultural preservation through technology. Dr. Tamás Váradi of the Hungarian Research Center for Linguistics revealed how his team is leveraging AI to safeguard the Hungarian language – a linguistic outlier unrelated to Indo-European tongues spoken by just 10 million people.
The Small Language Advantage
"We're not competing with global giants, but playing to our strengths," Váradi told KhabarAsia. His team built Hungary's first native language models in 2022 using a curated 32-billion-word corpus – dwarfing GPT-3's Hungarian data by 250 times. This treasure trove combines digital archives with physical library materials, creating what Váradi calls "a cultural time capsule."
David vs Goliath in AI Development
The landscape shifted dramatically with Meta's multilingual models containing 40 billion Hungarian words. "It's like watching skyscrapers rise while you're laying bricks," Váradi admitted, noting his team's months-long model development cycles contrast sharply with corporate resources showcased in Shanghai.
Cultural Guardianship Through Technology
Despite challenges, Váradi remains confident: "Global models lack our cultural precision. Our work ensures Hungarian evolves authentically in the digital age." The researcher emphasized that language preservation requires local stewardship, arguing AI should amplify – not homogenize – linguistic diversity.
As nations balance globalization with cultural identity, Hungary's approach offers a blueprint for protecting minority languages through strategic AI investment.
