Press release – alangu responds to media coverage

Following the product presentation of our AI-based Sign Language Avatar Toolkit on the TV show “Die Höhle der Löwen” (Lions' Den/ Dragons' Den/ Shark Tank) on VOX, deaf associations leveraged the extensive media attention to call for strong involvement of deaf individuals in all sign language projects. These very demands – for participation, responsibility, and fair collaboration – are essential, and it is precisely this equal partnership that is at the heart of everything we do at alangu. Our work is guided by clear values:

Participation – Respect – Transparency – Responsibility – Purposeful Innovation.

At alangu, we believe that true accessibility can only be achieved in collaboration with deaf people. That is why we develop our AI-based translation systems and sign language avatars in close cooperation with deaf experts, users, and organizations. Deaf team members and external specialists are equally involved in research, development, testing, and evaluation. In addition, partners, municipalities, and other clients contribute through focus group discussions with local associations, organizations, and members of the deaf community to gather opinions, needs, and requirements in a user-centered manner.

We share the stance of the deaf associations that technological solutions should never replace human communication but rather complement it where sign language interpretation is currently unavailable. Our goal is to make information accessible in areas where sign language translation has not yet been provided, such as online forms, official government information, public transportation, and other digital platforms.

Regarding data responsibility, we commit to the highest ethical standards: sign language data is collected exclusively on the basis of clear consent, fair compensation, and cooperative partnership. We see ourselves as stewards of the community, not as data users for commercial purposes. We reaffirmed this commitment in August to the European Union of the Deaf (EUD), underscoring our dedication at the European level to transparency, participation, and respectful handling of cultural knowledge in AI development.

We interpret the message from the deaf associations as encouragement to continue the dialogue on ethical, cultural, and societal responsibility in AI-supported sign language development. Only through open and respectful exchange among associations, deaf professionals, researchers, and companies can true inclusion emerge. We invite all associations to participate and engage with us in this conversation. As an inclusion-focused company, our stated goal is to shape digital participation through AI in a fair, meaningful, safe, and community-oriented way.

We sincerely thank the deaf associations for their dedication and contribution to the public discourse, which confirms that inclusion and technological innovation can only succeed together with the deaf community. We look forward to continuing this dialogue on responsible innovation and are ready to collaborate.

alangu GmbH
E-Mail: info@alangu.de