A Perspective on the Use of Sanskrit Language and Literature in Developing AI and GenAI Systems

Artificial intelligence (AI) and Generative AI (GenAI) have transformed various industries by enabling machines to understand, interpret, and generate human languages with remarkable precision, a process commonly referred to as natural language processing (NLP). While dominant languages, such as English and Mandarin, have traditionally played a significant role in AI and GenAI model training, there is growing interest in exploring the potential of Sanskrit for AI and GenAI system development. Utilizing its highly structured grammar and rich semantic framework, this article examines how Sanskrit provides unique advantages to AI and GenAI systems. Sanskrit’s deterministic and precise grammatical rules, as codified in Maharishi Panini’s Ashtadhyayi, present an opportunity to reduce ambiguity and enhance the computational efficiency of the NLP models. The language’s inflected morphology allows for more compact and flexible expressions, which may improve the AI’s ability to handle complex word relationships. Sanskrit’s cultural and philosophical significance allows AI to engage in ancient wisdom and interdisciplinary research. However, challenges such as the limited availability of modern Sanskrit corpora, the lack of native speakers, and the computational complexity of their grammatical rules must be addressed to realize their full potential. Despite these challenges, incorporating Sanskrit into AI and GenAI systems can lead to innovations in linguistic research, philosophical AI, and computational logic.