Suzhou iFLYTEK's AI-Powered Dialect Preservation Program Recognized as an ICCSD Demonstration Case under the auspices of UNESCO

On March 27, the 2025 Demonstration Cases for Protecting and Promoting the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in the Digital Environment were officially released at the 5th Creativity 2030 International Forum. Forty cases distinguished by innovation, sustainability, and cross-cultural replicability were selected. Suzhou iFLYTEK’s AI-Powered Dialect Preservation Program was among the selected projects, highlighting AI’s growing value in tackling language loss and reinvigorating cultural heritage in the digital era.

International Recognition for China’s AI-Powered Dialect Preservation Model as a Global Example of Cultural Diversity Protection

Organized by the International Centre for Creativity and Sustainable Development under the auspices of UNESCO, the initiative focused on three themes: using technology to advance the cultural and creative industries, protecting cultural heritage, and exploring new ways to safeguard and pass on intangible cultural heritage. It drew nearly 150 submissions from 13 countries, reflecting broad international interest. The selected cases highlight the growing role of technology in the cultural sector, spanning immersive performances, heritage digitization, and new approaches to preserving and revitalizing intangible cultural heritage.

Suzhou iFLYTEK's selection reflects international recognition of its AI-Powered approach to dialect preservation and offers a practical model for safeguarding linguistic and cultural diversity worldwide.

AI-Powered Protection: Building an End-to-End Preservation Chain from Language Resources to Communication

Since launching in 2018, Suzhou iFLYTEK's AI-Powered Dialect Preservation Program has tackled key barriers to dialect preservation, from limited language data and robotic-sounding synthetic speech to the lack of meaningful engagement channels for younger generations. By leveraging AI, the program has created an end-to-end preservation model that connects language data collection, speech synthesis, and cultural outreach.

The program has built a strong foundation for digitally preserving the Suzhou dialect, collecting more than 1,100 hours of speech data for recognition and over 17,000 annotated utterances for synthesis. It has also applied technologies including AI speech synthesis and 3D scanning to produce nearly 100 digital intangible cultural heritage works, turning the dialect from a static archive into a living, interactive experience. Meanwhile, the Gusu Suoji short-video series has generated 201 million impressions across platforms, highlighting the power of digital storytelling to capture the interest of younger audiences.

From building language resources to engaging the public, Suzhou iFLYTEK has developed a systematic, replicable, and scalable approach to dialect preservation and revitalization, offering a technology-enabled blueprint that bridges theory and practice in safeguarding China’s linguistic and cultural diversity.

Tech for Good: Letting AI Safeguard and Promote Cultural Diversity

By combining language data collection, system development, and digital applications, Suzhou iFLYTEK has created an end-to-end framework for AI-powered dialect preservation and transmission. Its selection as a UNESCO Model Case is not only a recognition of the project’s achievements, but also a practical example for protecting linguistic and cultural diversity around the world.

Technology is essential to sustaining cultural vitality. Looking ahead, Suzhou iFLYTEK will continue to bring its AI-powered dialect preservation model to more real-world settings, helping technology play a meaningful role in safeguarding and promoting cultural diversity and contributing iFLYTEK’s expertise to the preservation of linguistic and cultural heritage worldwide.