IBERIA PARISH (NEW IBERIA) — Since its inception, artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked both excitement and fear among users. One local woman is using AI to help preserve the Cajun language.
Sylvia Madejewski, an educator from New Iberia, has created a chatbot called “Cajun Buddy” to teach Cajun-French, a language she says is in decline.
“Cajun-French is a dying language. We take great pride in our language because it’s the origin of our culture,” Madejewski said.
Cajun culture has deep historical roots dating back to the 1700s. “AI was trained on 256 different languages and cultures, including Cajun culture,” she explained.
Using the ChatGPT platform, Madejewski developed Cajun Buddy to educate users about the Cajun dialect and culture.
“Cajun Buddy teaches you Cajun-French. I instructed the AI to act as an educator in these areas,” she said. For example, when asked how to say “hello” in Cajun-French, the chatbot responds with “Salut” or “Bonjour.”
Madejewski hopes to show the community that AI can be a useful resource rather than something to fear. “Six months ago, I was afraid of AI. My goal is to make it less intimidating for everyone,” she said.
To further this mission, she is hosting a free class titled “Introduction to AI for Everyone” on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 1:00 p.m. at the Parkview Branch Library in New Iberia.
