Problem Statement
How might we increase YouTube’s revenue (global and regional views) by integrating African languages in translation and summarization on YouTube using AI?
Problem Background
Africa is home to over 2,000 languages, with 700+ languages having more than 1 million speakers each. Roughly 70% of African users in many sub-Saharan countries struggle with English content, either it’s a second language or due to accent-related challenges. Since the majority of YouTube content is in English, it is inaccessible to many people across the continent.
YouTube already supports several African languages like Arabic, Amharic, and Swahili for subtitles and translations. The demand for more diverse African languages (like Zulu, Xhosa, Igbo, Yoruba) is increasing.
Research Insights
Research confirmed some of my assumptions and challenged others. Some key insights are as follows:
- Users would be interested in seeing YouTube translate from English/French to their native language or from one African language to another.
- The current usage of African translations (5 out of 7 always use translations) with African translations (3 out of 7 needed Congolese & Chinese language, but both languages were unavailable).
- 5 out 7 would be more engaged if their YouTube content was available in their native African language. And the 3 Non-African respondents are willing to learn African language if there is a translation from their native language.
The research also revealed some compelling insights which I used to compile my product specification document.
Feedback
In addition, the research also confirmed about the importance of having Africans languages in translation for everyone (African and Non-African). No matter if you speak or not a main language (English or French), incorporating AI-driven translation and summarization for African languages on YouTube would directly benefit both the platform and its users by increasing accessibility for millions of non-English/French speakers across the continent or help others people around the globe to learn another language easily.
Landing on the Solution
The main pain point for African YouTube users was the struggle to understand videos without accurate translations or subtitles. This prevented them from their jobs to be done: learning, growing their businesses, and enjoying entertainment.
The proposed solution is an AI-driven system that automatically translate videos captions in multiple African languages. AfriLingua aims to change the game.
User Flows/Mockups
You can find below a link to the user flow
User Flow
Future Steps
I plan to take my experience and lessons learned with this project to develop my new skills with a team of designers and engineers. If in the future I am at a point where I have the time and resources to fully execute this, this is definitely a product I would enjoy developing and bringing to life in collaboration with the YouTube team.
Images
Learnings
Product Manager Learnings:
Irene Godeme
Co.Lab was a very interesting experience for me. Coming from a totally different background (Finance, Banking retail and Capitals Markets), I was ready to learn, to grow and I truly appreciated the internship.
I was able to apply skills I gained during this bootcamp. For example:
• Survey Writing: constructing questions that are clear, concise, and elicit the desired data (I have never done that before).
• Data Collection: I began the program quite uncomfortable with conducting surveys as I had never conducted, transcribed, and analyzed any data. I learned how to upskill that.
• Data Analysis: analysis of quantitative and qualitative data to draw strong numerical conclusions and tell stories about a problem space.
I now understand the importance of breaking down a large problem into small, digestible pieces. Starting with the background, including a clear problem statement, and incorporating goals, user stories, and scenarios to communicate the problem effectively. It’s an important skill to be able to focus each of these areas clearly without getting ahead or veering towards the solution. I learned a new way of approaching a problem in an elaborate way.
Overall, the greatest thing I gained was a comfort with the problem space. I was able to shift my thinking to live in the problem space and go from there. To really understand the actual problem and not let my own biases or assumptions about the solution influence research.
Designer Learnings:
Designer Learnings:
Jo Sturdivant
- Adapting to an Established Team: Joining the team in week 6 of 8 was challenging, as I had to quickly adapt to existing workflows, dynamics, and goals. This mirrors real-world situations where you often integrate into teams mid-project, and flexibility is essential.
- Work-Blocking for Efficiency: With only two weeks to complete the project, I learned the importance of a structured work-blocking system. This approach allowed me to manage my time effectively and meet deadlines under pressure.
- Making Data-Driven Design Decisions: Unlike my past projects, I had to rely on research conducted by others. This was a valuable experience in using pre-existing data to guide design decisions, helping me focus on the core insights without starting from scratch.
Developer Learnings:
Developer Learnings:
Vanady Beard
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As the back-end developer, I learned how important it is to create efficient and reliable systems that support the entire application. This experience also taught me the importance of optimising the database and ensuring the backend is scalable and easy to maintain.
Developer Learnings:
Stephen Asiedu
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As a back-end developer, I've come to understand the importance of being familiar with various database systems and modules. This knowledge enables me to build diverse applications and maintain versatility in my work. I've also learned that the responsibility for making the right choices rests on my shoulders, guided by my best judgement.
Developer Learnings:
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Developer Learnings:
Maurquise Williams
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- Process of Creating an MVP: Developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) taught me how to focus on delivering core functionalities balancing between essential features and avoiding scope creep.
- Collaboration in a Real-World Tech Setting: This experience taught me how to collaborate efficiently in a fast-paced tech environment, keeping the team aligned and productive, even while working remotely across time zones.
- Sharpening Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: This experience honed my ability to think critically and solve problems efficiently. By tackling challenges and finding quick solutions, I sharpened my decision-making and troubleshooting skills in a dynamic, real-world setting.
Developer Learnings:
Jeremiah Williams
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All in all this experience was very awesome I learned that in coding with others being transparent is key
Developers Learnings:
Justin Farley
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I learned how important communication is when working with a team. Communication provides understanding, advice, ideas, and much more. While working with the product team, I’ve found that communication keeps everything flowing smoothly. Working with a team also showed me that every member brings something different to the table and we all have to work together in order to align and meet our end goal.