At a recent summit on artificial intelligence, global leaders highlighted how new technologies could help preserve vulnerable languages by enabling real-time translation and mother-tongue communication. While widely spoken languages are already benefiting, smaller and historically marginalised languages such as Gondi face greater challenges. The debate unfolded against the backdrop of central India's long Maoist conflict, where language played a quiet but powerful role.

For nearly two decades, Gondi was widely spoken in conflict-affected regions of central India. Many Gondi-speaking children entered school without understanding Hindi, contributing to high dropout rates and deepening alienation. Linguistic exclusion became intertwined with broader grievances about injustice, reinforcing the sense that mainstream institutions did not reflect local identity or culture.

Efforts are now underway to use artificial intelligence tools to support tribal languages, including Gondi. However, activists caution that any attempt to standardise the language must reflect its diverse dialects and involve community leadership. With a majority of Gonds no longer fluent in their ancestral tongue, the stakes are high.

As the government seeks lasting peace in former conflict zones, promoting mother-tongue education and investing in inclusive language technology could form part of a durable solution. Artificial intelligence, if carefully implemented, may help connect Gondi speakers to wider opportunities while preserving a language that has endured for centuries.