Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) will host the World Punjabi Conference on the Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Development of Punjab, Punjabi Language and Punjabiyyat from February 20 to 22 and will host several Punjabi scholars and literature experts. This event aims to start a dialogue about the use and impact of artificial intelligence on Punjabi and its place in the face of this challenge.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Karamjeet Singh said that Punjabi, a language steeped in a rich history spanning thousands of years, is currently at a crossroads where the combination of tradition and modern technology is inevitable. “In this context, the World Punjab Conference will be a milestone in the digitalization journey of Punjabiyat,” he said.
He explained that artificial intelligence, simply put, involves machines that imitate human intelligence through learning, reasoning, and self-correction. Today, models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok show that machines can not only perform calculations, but also write poetry, translate languages, and suggest solutions to complex problems. In modern times, machine intelligence is not just a technological development, but an intellectual paradigm that redefines ancient concepts of human existence, language, and morality. For a language as rich as Punjabi, this technology poses a philosophical challenge.
Professor Shin asked whether mathematical algorithms could capture the cultural sensibilities that have emerged from thousands of years of human experience. From an academic perspective, language is not only a means of communication, but also the basis of thinking, he added.
He pointed out that the ethical aspects of this technological transformation are extremely serious and complex. “The biggest ethical issues relate to fairness and bias. Machine intelligence learns from human-generated data. If the available data contains bias against a particular region, caste, or gender, machines will amplify that bias,” he said. In the Punjabi context, there are concerns that world-class AI models may suppress local idioms and moral values under Western epistemology. Furthermore, technologies such as virtual reality and deepfakes have blurred the line between truth and falsehood.
The university, with support from the Punjab government, has established an Ethics AI Center in memory of late Punjabi poet Surjit Patal. The center aims to be a hub to address concerns about the impact of AI on Punjabi language and culture. Mr. Patal believed that the intervention of AI is inevitable and that using this technology as a tool to enhance the global reach of Punjabi and Punjabi languages could be transformative.
“With AI, we can instantly translate Punjabi literature into over 100 languages of the world. This will make the works of Waris Shah and Pashu reach a global audience,” Professor Singh added. He also pointed out that earlier, the lack of digital Punjabi data was a limitation, but now there is no shortage of Punjabi content online.
Large data sets are being created through social media and e-books, and organizations like Surjit Patar Center for Ethical AI are working to organize this data and develop their own large-scale Punjabi language models.
The AI-based keyboard makes Gurmukhi scripts very easy to use and popular among the youth.
Padma Bhushan awardees Tarlochan Singh and Sardara Singh Johar, former KBS general secretary Sidhu and Dr Sardara Singh Johar are among the prominent personalities participating in the conference. Other notable participants include Dr. Deepak Manmohan Singh and Dr. Sant Baba Mahendra Singh of Wales, UK.
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