New Delhi (AsiaNews) – The Tibetan government-in-exile is turning to artificial intelligence to preserve its language and cultural heritage, as well as to make administrative activities more efficient. The administration led by Penpa Tsering is also exploring a possible collaboration with Japanese technology firms in the fields of artificial intelligence and animation.
“We want a government assisted by artificial intelligence, not one run by artificial intelligence,” Tsering explained in an interview with the Kyodo News agency in New Delhi. The aim, he added, is to develop systems tailored to the needs of the Tibetan community, capable of digitising Buddhist texts, preserving the language and its regional dialects, and producing educational materials.
The project also stems from the difficulties Tibetans face in safeguarding their linguistic and religious identity under the control of the Chinese regime.
This issue concerns not only those living in Tibet, but also a diaspora that is increasingly scattered across different parts of the world. According to Tsering, Tibetans now reside in over 28 countries and many have acquired citizenship in the places where they live, whilst also adopting the local languages.
In this situation, new technologies can become tools for maintaining a connection with their history and culture, particularly amongst the younger generations. Tsering noted that current generative artificial intelligence systems often lack sufficient data on Tibetan reality. He cited the example of image generation: when asked to generate an image of a monk, the result is often a Thai monk rather than one wearing traditional Tibetan robes.
Some tools currently under development are being created by the government-in-exile in collaboration with Monlam AI, which is working on language platforms and artificial intelligence models in Tibetan. Among the various proposed initiatives are, for example, a digital library dedicated to Buddhist resources, and platforms to improve administrative efficiency. According to Tenzing Norsang, the project’s development manager, the library and its associated archive are now nearing completion.
Recently, a number of industry representatives visited Dharamsala to discuss possible forms of collaboration. “Collaboration with Japanese companies working on artificial intelligence is very much open to discussion,” said Tsering, adding that he hoped to visit the country in the coming months.
The Tibetan government-in-exile, based in Dharamsala in northern India, was established after the Dalai Lama’s escape in 1959, following the failed uprising against Chinese rule. India granted asylum to the spiritual leader and thousands of his followers, and has since become the centre and mainstay of the diaspora’s political, religious and educational institutions. “India is a pillar of our existence,” said Tsering.
Elected president in 2021, succeeding Lobsang Sangay, Tsering leads an administration that claims its own political legitimacy, which is not recognised by Beijing.
The Tibetan leadership follows the so-called ‘Middle Way’ outlined by the Dalai Lama, which calls for genuine autonomy for Tibet but not independence from China. Beijing, for its part, regards the territory as an integral part of the People’s Republic and has consistently rejected the demands of the government-in-exile.
The issue of cultural and religious continuity is also intertwined with that of the Dalai Lama’s succession. The spiritual leader, who is 91 years old, stated last year that his successor will be identified through the recognition of reincarnation, in accordance with tradition. China, however, claims exclusive authority over determining who may succeed him.
For the diaspora, the government-in-exile organises weekend language courses, whilst also seeking to strengthen the communities that have developed over the years in India and Nepal. Tsering looks in particular to the younger generations abroad, who can become a resource for raising awareness of the Tibetan cause in the countries where they live. Young people, he observed, can in fact contribute to raising awareness amongst local governments and societies.
