Xi Voice, designed to address the challenges of a multilingual workforce, can convert spoken Korean into text in over 120 languages. (Image courtesy of GS E&C)
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – GS E&C, a leading South Korean construction firm, announced on September 24 the development of an artificial intelligence-powered translation program called Xi Voice to facilitate communication with foreign workers at construction sites.
The innovative tool, designed to address the challenges of a multilingual workforce, can convert spoken Korean into text in over 120 languages, including Chinese and Vietnamese.
What sets Xi Voice apart is its ability to accurately translate construction-specific terminology, which has been a stumbling block for existing translation programs.
“We’ve pre-trained the AI on specialized construction vocabulary to minimize errors in translation,” said a spokesperson from GS E&C’s Digital Innovation (DX) team, the group behind Xi Voice’s development.
The company conducted a pilot program from April to June, implementing Xi Voice at select construction sites. Based on user feedback, GS Engineering refined and expanded the tool’s capabilities.
New features include a keyboard input option for situations where voice recognition may be challenging, and a function to translate reference materials used during consultations.
Recognizing the often-unreliable internet connectivity at construction sites, GS Engineering is pushing to develop a mobile application version of Xi Voice that can operate offline.
The company aims to complete this development by the end of the year, further boosting the tool’s practicality in the field.
Currently, Xi Voice only provides translations in text format. However, GS Engineering has plans to incorporate voice output functionality for various languages in future updates, making the tool even more versatile.
The DX team at GS Engineering emphasized that Xi Voice is just one of several digital innovations that is being developed in collaboration with on-site teams.
“We’re committed to strengthening safety and quality at construction sites through digital transformation,” the spokesperson added.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
