E150 - KB-Whisper: Outperforming OpenAI with Smaller Models - Love Börjeson & Justyna Sikora

In Episode 150 of the AIAW Podcast, we delve into the remarkable world of AI-driven language innovation with Love Börjeson, Head of R&D & KBLab, and Justyna Sikora, Data Scientist at the National Library of Sweden, as they reveal the creation of KB-Whisper, a pioneering AI model that revolutionizes Swedish language processing by handling diverse dialects, historical recordings, and the intricate demands of cultural preservation. From the model’s technical architecture and massive data clusters to its social impact and ethical implications, this unscripted conversation offers an unmissable look at how AI is shaping language research today and what lies ahead for Swedish AI in the next five years. The main gain of the episode can be captured by these compelling angles: The KB Whisperer: Outperforming OpenAI with Smaller Models, Sovereign AI: How the Swedish National Library Built a Superior Speech-to-Text Model, From Royal Collections to State-of-the-Art AI: KB Lab’s Journey to Create Whisper Models for Swedish, Small Team, Big Impact: How 12 People Beat Silicon Valley at Their Own Game, and Beyond the Model: Cultural Sovereignty and the Future of Language Technology. Catch all the insights, breakthroughs, and future directions by tuning in to this thought-provoking episode—now available on Spotify!  Follow us on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@aiawpodcast