AI and Low-Resource Languages

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming global communication, learning, and access to services, yet its benefits remain concentrated in high-resource languages, leaving most low-resource languages (LRLs) digitally marginalised. This chapter examines the linguistic digital divide, where large language models overwhelmingly prioritise dominant languages. Drawing on insights from computational linguistics, AI ethics, and community initiatives, we analyse socio-technical and cultural barriers to inclusion and present case studies from Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific that highlight both challenges and opportunities. We argue that bridging this gap requires multilingual pretraining, participatory data governance, sustainable funding, and culturally grounded design. By foregrounding marginalised voices and embedding linguistic justice in AI development, this chapter envisions a future where every language, regardless of resource level, secures a meaningful digital presence.