Augustine A. Farinola

Augustine A. Farinola is a researcher working at the intersection of African Digital Humanities, artificial intelligence, computational text analysis, and philosophy. His research explores how digital technologies can support the preservation, analysis, translation, teaching, and public communication of African languages, histories, philosophies, and cultural knowledge. He combines large language models, retrieval-augmented generation, corpus analysis, knowledge graphs, database technologies, and interactive visualisation to analyse African texts and build accessible digital research infrastructures. His major DH projects include the Voyant Tools Translation and Localisation Hub, an AI-assisted platform supporting the translation and localisation of Voyant Tools into African and other underrepresented languages; StoryChain — African Digital Storytelling Platform, an interactive digital archive for preserving and analysing African stories, cultural themes, animal symbols, and ethical traditions; and the African Digital Humanities Lab CourseHub, an open learning platform providing practical courses in African Digital Humanities, artificial intelligence, programming, corpus building, Voyant Tools, Spyral Notebooks, and reproducible research. He also develops AfricanPedia, an illustrated digital knowledge platform devoted to African civilisations, languages, intellectual traditions, cultural heritage, clothing, music, and oral knowledge. Through these projects, Augustine addresses key challenges in African Digital Humanities, including limited African-language coverage, inconsistent translation terminology, inadequate access to digital research tools, responsible use of artificial intelligence, community participation, skills development, and the representation of African knowledge in digital environments.