Edtech company Pearson has started using artificial intelligence (AI) to translate some of its global blockbuster titles into local Indian languages, Ebrahim Matthews – who leads Pearson’s international higher education business – told FE.
“India is Pearson’s largest higher education market after the US and Canada, and we are doubling down on our investment here,” Matthews said. “Using the power of AI and partnerships, we are making global books more suited to the Indian market, both in terms of context and content. For example, ‘Marketing Management’ by Kotler is a gold standard in management studies, and the newest edition we have released includes references from India – such as the case study of Nestle’s Maggi in India, and how they brought back the brand after the noodle fiasco in 2015-16. We have also worked on how Mercedes-Benz India used the Retail of the Future strategy to increase car sales.”
Matthews added that Pearson is now working on translating ‘Conceptual Physics’ – one of the world’s most revered titles – in Indian languages. In September, during the launch of the 13th edition of the book – written by Prof Paul G Hewitt – at the Infosys Science Foundation, Narayana Murthy had called for it to be translated into Hindi, Kannada, and other regional languages.
‘Conceptual Physics’ introduces students to the scientific method in a simple, engaging way, breaking down complex ideas into relatable examples from everyday life, such as measuring the size of the Earth, Moon, and Sun, or understanding how magnetically-levitated trains work. “By translating it in Indian languages, we will be able to make it more accessible,” Matthews said. While he didn’t mention by when will the translated book be released and in which all local languages, he added that by using the power of AI and partnerships, translations can happen really fast.
