AI Initiative Achieves 96% Success in Translating Ottoman Manuscripts

A multidisciplinary team of computer scientists, historians, and linguists has developed an AI-driven initiative called Osmanlica.com that achieves a remarkable 96% success rate in translating Ottoman manuscripts into modern Turkish. The project, started as a doctoral thesis by Dr. Ishak Dolek under the supervision of Associate Professor Dr. Atakan Kurt from Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa Computer Engineering Department, aims to make the vast archive of over 100 million pages from the Ottoman era more accessible by bridging the language gap.

The initiative employs a three-step method involving Ottoman Optical Character Recognition (OCR), alphabet transliteration, and language translation. The team has already achieved 75% accuracy in the alphabet translation stage and is working to reach 95% accuracy with the support of various organizations. Historian Adile Ozgunay, who has been working on the project for the past two years, highlights the significance of replicating the efforts made by the European Union to translate historical manuscripts written since the Middle Ages into editable text.

Why this matters: The successful translation of Ottoman manuscripts into modern Turkish unlocks a treasure trove of historical knowledge and cultural heritage. This AI-driven initiative showcases the potential of interdisciplinary collaboration in preserving and disseminating valuable information from the past, making it accessible to a wider audience in the present day.

The rapid adaptation of AI to the social sciences is offering academics new opportunities for interdisciplinary field expansion.

Key Takeaways

• AI-driven initiative Osmanlica.com translates Ottoman manuscripts to modern Turkish with 96% accuracy.
• Project uses 3-step method: OCR, alphabet transliteration, and language translation.
• Aims to make 100+ million pages from Ottoman era more accessible to modern readers.
• Showcases potential of interdisciplinary collaboration in preserving and disseminating historical knowledge.
• Milestone in making Ottoman manuscript content more accessible to modern Turkish readers.