Intron's Sahara v2.5 Enhances African Voice AI with Advanced Code-Switching for Mixed Languages

Intron, an African voice technology company, has released Sahara v2.5, a significant update to its AI platform. This new version addresses the common practice of code-switching in African conversations, where individuals seamlessly blend multiple languages within a single sentence or discussion. Traditional AI systems often struggle with this linguistic fluidity, leading to misinterpretations or requiring users to adapt their speech.

Sahara v2.5 introduces bilingual language mixing (code-switching) speech recognition for 12 African languages, including Zulu, Hausa, Swahili, and Luganda, and is the first to offer trilingual support for Kinyarwanda, English, and French. Intron claims its technology outperforms leading global AI models like Gemini, ElevenLabs, and Meta in benchmarks across these languages. The platform also expands its text-to-speech and voice-agent capabilities to support language mixing, enabling more natural and effective voice interactions for businesses.

The update significantly broadens Sahara's coverage by adding speech recognition for seven new African languages, bringing the total to 31, making it one of the most comprehensive voice AI platforms on the continent. The technology's practical application was showcased at the 2026 Deep Learning Indaba in Lagos, where a hackathon challenged teams from 21 countries to develop language-mixing applications using Sahara, with results indicating superior performance compared to other models.

For African enterprises, Sahara v2.5 offers substantial benefits by improving communication in diverse linguistic environments. Contact centers, healthcare providers, financial institutions, and government services can now utilize voice AI that accurately understands and responds to natural language use, enhancing inclusivity and utility. Notably, Intron is deploying offline models in Nigerian clinics, bringing private and sovereign AI solutions to regions with connectivity or regulatory challenges.