Cambodian technology leader urges AI tailored to Khmer and local needs

Cambodia needs the expertise to develop artificial intelligence that understands Khmer and reflects its culture and practical needs, Cambodian Academy of Digital Technology (CADT) president Seng Sopheap said at a FrancoTech roundtable on November 14 in Phnom Penh.

Sopheap said Cambodia should be able to shape AI used in education, commerce and government services. The meeting drew researchers, university leaders and technology executives from three continents to discuss AI development for Francophone countries’ languages and institutions.

Seydina Moussa Ndiaye, who directs the FORCE-N programme at Senegal’s Cheikh Hamidou Kane Digital University, said language fluency alone was insufficient. He illustrated this with a hypothetical assistant answering in Wolof but providing a procedure from the wrong country.

Ndiaye proposed collaboration on language resources, computing facilities and evaluation methods. He said local language and cultural expertise should inform that work, with explicit conditions for using contributors’ input. He also urged checks before deployment, accountability for AI-generated decisions and appropriate human supervision.

LINAGORA president Alexandre Zapolsky said voice-based tools could assist people who struggle with existing digital public services. He favoured open-source models that countries could modify, arguing that dependence on a few international suppliers could restrict local control and cultural diversity.

Université Grenoble Alpes president Yassine Lakhnech said technical expertise would influence countries’ control over AI, with universities helping institutions develop and govern the technology. Separately, at the 48th Francophonie Ministerial Conference, Cambodian foreign minister Prak Sokhonn urged members to spread AI’s benefits broadly and ensure space for French and other languages.