INTERCULTURALITY

This study examined the philosophical impacts of artificial intelligence-drivenlanguage promotion on minority languages. The specific objectives were to examine its impact on language in general, identify its threats to minority languages, and discuss the impact of the threat on philosophy. Guided by critical theory and linguistic imperialism theory, this paper argues that AIdrivenlanguage promotion undermines minority languages and the progress of philosophy. As a qualitative research, this paper relied on philosophical analysis as a research design. The data were from extant literature. The findings showed that generally, AI-driven language promotion impacts language positively, especially dominant languages, as dominant languages possess the required data and economic inducements that AI needs for optimal functioning. Subsequently, AI-driven language promotion systems are optimised to favour dominant languages through a process of algorithmic optimisation. The findings also show that minority languages do not receive the same robust AI impact, as AI-driven language promotion drastically reduces their digital visibility, sidetracks them from the AI dataset, thereby subtly orchestrating and promoting linguistic neo-colonisation. Resultantly, AI-driven language promotion negatively impacts philosophy, as underemphasis on minority languages casts clouds on philosophy's raw materials inherent in them. The underemphasis also robs humanity of thinking patterns, as language shapes people's way of thinking and constitutes their cultural identity. Besides, AI-driven language promotion hurts minority languages as it subtly promotes linguistic imbalance, leads to language exploitation, and silences minority language speakers, since it empowers and emboldens dominant languages, making them determiners of true knowledge. Hence, this paper recommends, among others, developing AI tools that can promote minority languages.

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