Icelandic, Language Technology, and Artificial Intelligence

Icelandic is the Main Language

Rapid and extensive societal changes in recent years have presented challenges of unprecedented magnitude for our national language, Icelandic. Thus, fast-paced technological changes have transformed the linguistic environment in which children grow up, and English is now pervasive wherever you look. Framsókn places strong emphasis on preserving Icelandic and developing the language for the future. It is imperative to ensure the implementation of an action plan in matters of the Icelandic language. The guiding principle in these actions is to improve access and the quality of Icelandic education, promote the visibility and audibility of the language, and enhance cooperation on this societal project to ensure the resilience of Icelandic for the future.

Framsókn aims to improve access to dictionaries and databases in a modern way with a special Icelandic portal that makes it simple and enjoyable for everyone to seek information and education about the Icelandic language, especially young people and those learning Icelandic as a second language.

The manuscripts and the Icelandic language found a long-awaited home in Edda - the House of Icelandic. Framsókn wants to give prominence to the nation's cultural heritage and work towards ensuring that manuscripts and other cultural valuables abroad increasingly return home to Iceland. It is necessary to ensure the preservation, dissemination, digital reconstruction, and research in this field.

Icelandic Sign Language

Framsókn wants to support Icelandic Sign Language, which is the only official minority language in Iceland. It is crucial to systematically pursue a new language policy for Icelandic Sign Language and implement its action plan to strengthen, preserve, and promote the development of sign language for the future. Increased services for sign language users enable them to participate more fully in society and support equal opportunities for all who rely on Icelandic Sign Language for expression and communication.

Language Technology and Artificial Intelligence - Our Icelandic Everywhere

Framsókn aims to ensure the future of Icelandic in the digital world by building, maintaining, and utilizing language technology infrastructures. In the government's first language technology plan, there was considerable investment in the development of technical infrastructures, which is the foundation of the technological solutions emerging on the market today and are available in Icelandic. The new language technology plan supports companies in the task of developing technological solutions that understand and speak Icelandic.

It is also important to constantly work in an ever-changing environment to make Icelandic accessible in smart devices and entertainment content in broad collaboration with international technology companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, Google, and more. We want to ensure that whenever a revolutionary technological solution hits the market, that solution is accessible in Icelandic. Icelanders should be able to use the latest technology in Icelandic, make use of company services in Icelandic, and communicate with technology in Icelandic.

The development of artificial intelligence and how it will unfold is one of the major tasks of our time. It is necessary to consider the framework and policy-making in matters of language technology and artificial intelligence for the future. It is important for Iceland to be an active participant and take an active role in the development and implementation of ongoing technological changes to ensure that automation contributes to economic growth and provides us with improved living standards on our terms. Additionally, ethical issues and societal challenges accompanying new technology and the automation of work need to be addressed. We must map out how the labor market will change and offer education that supports this development.

Framsókn wants to establish a centre for language technology and artificial intelligence with reference to Nordic models. Its role is to be a centre for research, development, dissemination, and utilization of infrastructures.