On Wednesday (September 20), Google and Howard University will announce a dynamic partnership entitled Project Elevate Black Voices. The collaboration has one underlying principle: to make it easier for Black folks to use automatic speech recognition technology (ASR). In order to successfully use voice products, we frequently have to “code switch” to be understood.
Google’s own research confirmed that Black people’s experience with ASR is worse when compared to white users and is working diligently to change that. In conjunction with Howard, the tech company embarked on Project EBV which will assemble a premium African-American English (AAE) speech dataset. In addition, the renowned HBCU will be able share the dataset while creating a blueprint for responsible data collection.
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One of the most impressive characteristics of the alliance is that Howard University will retain ownership and licensing of the dataset. “We want to make sure that we are creating these inclusive experiences,” Google Responsible AI Researcher and social psychologist Dr. Courtney Heldreth tells The Root. “It was very clear to us that we were falling short when it came to voice technologies more broadly.
“A lot of the things that my team looks at is how do we collect new data responsibly and ethically—knowing the history of data collection practices for African Americans. There’s a lot of distrust and mistrust, rightfully so, towards technology. We want to make sure that when we’re collecting something that’s as sensitive as voice data, which is considered biometric data, we are doing it in partnership with folks who are very connected to and understand the Black community.”
Google’s Product Manager, Darryl Wright, reiterates the importance of trust when it comes to executing such a vital yet sensitive task. “I’m excited that we’re able to kind of take Black language put it in the technology that all of our users are able to interact with. The access that Howard University has within the Black community is just outstanding, right?
“In order for us to even get to the point where we’re even collecting data...even having agreements on what it is we’re trying to accomplish, that relationship needed to be in place for us to do the rest of the work data collection. If we were really going to take a community approach, [Howard] was absolutely going to be the partner.”
Project EBV’s Principle Investigator and Howard University Associate Professor Dr. Gloria Washington explains what this endeavor means to her on a personal level. “I am a Black woman and I’ve been fascinated in my research about how much Black women [experience] micro aggressions on a daily basis. The way that people communicate to each other impacts workplace communications and essentially everything else.
“I want to make sure that—from an academic perspective—we can utilize smarter technology that’ll help reduce this bias so that everyone can be their authentic selves.” She adds that the alignment of Howard and Google is a strategic one. “Google acknowledged that this data set collection of Black voices across the United States should be done by an entity that is going to uphold the ideals founding of African American English—Howard University was right at the forefront of that.”
Like Dr. Washington, Wright’s inherent attachment to Project EBV as a Black man is palpable but he insists his focus remains consistent throughout. “I think about [this] a lot when doing this work because this is something that my family will benefit from, my friends will benefit from, people that I know and love and respect and have raised me will benefit from. But I think the same amount of rigor and thoughtfulness that you would put to any other project you’re doing at Google is pretty much the same.”
In addition, Dr. Heldreth hopes that Project EBV will illuminate the way white supremacy has used Black culture for clout while simultaneously trying to erase it. “It’s interesting that Black language is policed, but it’s also used to gain popularity and prestige. It’s been reappropriated in ways that are just kind of nasty. When you look at the history of linguistic discrimination in the United States, American English in and of itself came from the slave trade. This was the dialect that emerged from British Caribbean colonization.
“There’s a rich culture and history associated with Black language, but in regards to linguistics it is unfortunate to see the ways that Black language has been systematically discriminated against. This was the other impetus for Project Elevate Black Voices: to capture natural, organic, Black speech as beautiful as it is.”
Ultimately, Dr. Washington believes—like Dr. Heldreth and Wright—that a bold undertaking like this will only work to reaffirm our cultural contributions. “The reason why this project is so important—from my perspective—is that by gathering audio data to help voice assistant technology we’re allowing Black people to tell their stories.
“From the Howard perspective, we are honoring our ancestors, the people who are currently in the community and any future individuals who want to utilize this research for the celebration of Black people.”
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