- LankaGPT to launch Sigiriya AI in July
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly evolving and transforming enterprises on a global scale around the world. With an aim of revolutionising the future of AI in Sri Lanka, LankaGPT has announced the upcoming launch of Sigiriya AI. This groundbreaking tool, developed by a diverse team spread across Sri Lanka, the United States, and Dubai, is set to launch in July.
Sigiriya AI stands as the first of its kind, meticulously crafted by Sri Lankans for Sri Lankans, both locally and overseas. The founders of LankaGPT addressed the media on 27 May to share more details about the AI platform and what makes it unique.
Sigiriya AI is a text-based platform designed to support Sinhala and Tamil, including various dialects, regional phrasing, and pronunciation nuances. This tool was developed using proprietary datasets, encompassing an impressive 10 billion Sinhala data sets and 10 billion Tamil data sets. These datasets were developed in partnership with numerous academic institutions, ensuring a robust and culturally relevant AI system.
The platform’s primary aim is to penetrate the Sri Lankan market and extend its reach to regions with significant Sri Lankan populations, including the Middle East, Canada, and Australia. Additionally, Sigiriya AI recognises the vast Tamil-speaking communities around the world, including those in India, Singapore, Malaysia, and other Southeast Asian countries.
A story of friendship and innovation
LankaGPT was founded by three individuals: Lasitha Gunasinghe, Kasun Gunasinghe, and Lakshitha Karunaratne. The idea of a Sri Lankan-centric AI platform emerged from their shared desire to serve Sri Lanka and preserve the native languages of Sinhala and Tamil. Lasitha and Kasun, siblings with a background in tech, are based in the US, while Lakshitha, a tea taster and wildlife photographer, is based in Sri Lanka. Their friendship, spanning over 35 years, has been the cornerstone of their collaboration.
Despite being spread across the world, their strong bond enabled them to undertake this ambitious project together. The development of Sigiriya AI was a collective effort, with developers working tirelessly for 18 months from Sri Lanka, India, the UK, and the US, both in-house and outsourced.
Empowerment and development
LankaGPT Technologies Co-founder and Managing Director Lasitha Gunasinghe emphasised the transformative potential of AI for Sri Lanka. “At LankaGPT, we recognised and understood the role AI could play in enhancing the economic and social landscape. For this reason, we are deeply committed to providing this tool free of charge to the education, agriculture, and healthcare sectors, with the hope of driving innovation, empowering communities, and fostering sustainable development. Sigiriya AI underscores the rapid need to leverage technology to support crucial sectors which contribute to economic stability, and we believe that free access to AI can help create lasting positive impacts on society,” he explained.
Sigiriya AI represents a significant achievement for the country, showcasing LankaGPT’s ability to compete on a global scale. This initiative was made possible through collaborations with numerous non-profit organisations dedicated to the upliftment and wellbeing of Sri Lankan communities worldwide.
The unique features of Sigiriya AI
Sigiriya AI was inspired by the need to preserve and promote the Sinhala and Tamil languages, which are at risk of being overshadowed by more globally-dominant languages. Unlike other AI tools such as Gemini, Anthropic, and ChatGPT, which lack extensive support for these languages, Sigiriya AI offers a foundational platform with 90-95% accuracy in language processing.
“AI tools such as Gemini, Anthropic, and ChatGPT, which are on the global scale, do not have much space for Sinhala and Tamil languages as we use them. These languages that are so dear to us are on the verge of dying out. Preserving them was one aspect of coming up with Sigiriya,” said Lasitha Gunasinghe.
Sigiriya AI supports prompts in any language but is primarily built for Sinhala and Tamil. The platform is expected to launch by the second week of July, with specific dates to be announced this month. This launch is eagerly anticipated, as the platform promises to provide accurate and culturally relevant AI capabilities that have been lacking in other global AI tools.
Addressing local and global needs
The need for a Sri Lankan-centric AI tool like Sigiriya AI is underscored by the country’s unique linguistic and cultural landscape. Many Sri Lankans, particularly in rural areas, lack access to education and resources in their native languages. Sigiriya AI aims to bridge this gap, offering a tool that can improve livelihoods and preserve the linguistic heritage of Sinhala and Tamil languages.
“Our English literacy rate is very high, but the grassroots of Sri Lanka do not have the same access to education or resources. The founders want them to be able to use this platform to better their lives and livelihoods. It needs to reach as wide and as far as possible and help safeguard and preserve Sinhala and Tamil languages,” added Lasitha Gunasinghe.
Sigiriya AI’s ability to learn and evolve makes it a promising tool for the future, as the platform will continue to grow and improve with use, much like other AI tools.
Competition and unique positioning
In terms of competition, Sigiriya AI stands out as a unique platform tailored specifically for Sri Lankan needs. While regional AI tools like Hanooman in India and QX in the UAE exist, Sigiriya AI’s focus on Sinhala and Tamil languages sets it apart. Unlike API-based tools, Sigiriya AI offers a foundational AI platform with a high degree of language accuracy, making it incomparable to global AI tools like ChatGPT.
“ChatGPT and similar tools go through very fast growth and are considered big global players. Because Sigiriya AI is a unique tool, it is not considered to be comparable,” said Gunasinghe.
Sri Lanka’s digital transformation
Sigiriya AI is a crucial component of Sri Lanka’s digital transformation. The tool will be offered free to the agriculture, healthcare, and education sectors, which are considered the pillars of the country’s foundation. This initiative is expected to bring significant benefits to these sectors, driving innovation and development.
“Areas such as tourism will use this tool on subscription which will be at a minimal cost,” explained Lasitha Gunasinghe.
The platform is not just a technological advancement but a social one as well. By empowering Sri Lankans, even those in rural areas, Sigiriya AI is set to be the second revolution in Sri Lanka, following the mobile revolution, with a substantial positive impact on people’s lives.
A glimpse into the future
As Sri Lanka looks towards the future, tools like Sigiriya AI are expected to play a pivotal role in its digital transformation. The country is already in a favourable position compared to many others in the region, with its tech companies having a global presence. However, to further improve its reach and impact, homegrown tools like Sigiriya AI are essential.
“Compared to most of the countries in the region, Sri Lanka is in an optimistic place. Our tech companies here have global footing. But to improve our reach, tools such as Sigiriya AI will help massively as they are built for Sri Lankans by Sri Lankans,” said Lasitha Gunasinghe.
The future holds exciting prospects for LankaGPT and Sigiriya AI. With plans for two more global-scale tech projects in the pipeline, the company is poised to make even more significant contributions to the tech landscape. As the launch of Sigiriya AI approaches, the anticipation and excitement are palpable, promising a new era of AI-driven innovation and development for Sri Lanka and its global diaspora.