Google DeepMind launches SL2T, a multilingual sign-language-to-text model debuting on the Pixel 11 in Gboard and Live Transcribe, first for ASL to English text
Google is extending a Pixel accessibility line that began with Live Transcribe on Pixel 3 and the Play Store and later included eye-controlled phrase selection through Look to Speak. SL2T puts sign-language recognition into an established transcription surface and Gboard rather than positioning it as a separate experimental app.
Google has also used Pixel interfaces for live translation, including dual-screen interpretation on Pixel Fold. The initial ASL-to-English release makes sign input another language-mediated interaction Google is bringing into its device software.
First-order effects
Pixel 11 users gain ASL-to-English text conversion inside Gboard and Live Transcribe, giving Google DeepMind’s SL2T an immediate consumer distribution channel.
Google’s Gboard and Live Transcribe teams must incorporate sign-language output into products previously centered on typed and spoken text.
Second-order effects
Embedding SL2T in Google-owned input and transcription surfaces concentrates early sign-to-text usage inside Pixel software, instead of requiring users to adopt a standalone accessibility service.
Google’s prior translation and accessibility features now have a shared product rationale: reducing communication barriers through device-native interfaces.
Third-order effects
If Google expands SL2T beyond its initial ASL-to-English deployment, accessibility AI will increasingly be differentiated by integration into everyday input and communication surfaces rather than by standalone models.
The Pixel line is becoming a recurring launch channel for DeepMind capabilities, tying accessibility advances more closely to Google’s hardware and core software stack.
The trend: AI accessibility is moving from discrete assistive apps toward models embedded directly in the keyboard, transcription, and translation interfaces people already use.
We built SL2T with the Deaf community - guided by Deaf Googlers and our AI Sign Language Advisory Committee. Bringing ASL input to phones is just the beginning and we're working to expand this technology to more sign languages and applications. Find out more → [image]
For years, building AI for sign language has been slow due to complex technical challenges and misconceptions about how the languages work. We addressed this by training a model to translate simultaneous movements of the hands, body, and face directly into text, using huge
SL2T is state-of-the-art on academic benchmarks, plus it's optimized for real-world use like one-handed signing while holding a phone. To protect privacy, it tracks body poses on-device, while our servers translate them into text. [video]
SL2T is our breakthrough sign language-to-text model powering new features for Deaf and hard of hearing users on @Android. Starting with American Sign Language-to-English on Pixel 11, people can sign directly into Gboard and Live Transcribe instead of typing. [video]
Today, Google and Google DeepMind launched SL2T, our breakthrough sign language-to-text model powering new features for Deaf and hard of hearing users on Android. …
Google DeepMind just built an AI that understands sign language. 🤟🤲👋 It's called SL2T. Trained on 100,000+ hours of multilingual sign language data across 50+ languages.   It launches on Pixel 11 inside Gboard & Live Transcribe. You sign at your phone instead of [video]
Google DeepMind is doing some crazy work. This is so good and is going to help so many people. They just launched SL2T (Sign Language to Text), an AI model that translates sign language directly into text. Most spoken language dictation tools rely on audio to text, but sign [vide…