AI can help increase language inclusivity for governments, but risks remain

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While the tech can help expand service access to non-English speakers, one expert says humans should have the final say when it comes to translating government communications, especially in high-stakes situations.

Language accessibility remains a priority for many communities across the U.S., and artificial intelligence is emerging as one tool to help expand access to government resources and services for non-English speakers. 

About 22% of Americans — or more than 1 in 5 people — reported speaking a language other than English from 2017 to 2021, according to data released earlier this month from the U.S. Census Bureau. Of that population, 61% of people speak Spanish and 78% speak an Indo-European language such as French, German or Italian. 

Language diversity has grown in the U.S. in recent decades, marking a “growing urgency around language access” for local governments, according to a recently released report from Wordly, a software company that provides AI-enabled translation services. 

A survey of 117 public-sector workers in U.S. cities found that 61% of respondents reported living in a community where the number of non-native English speakers was increasing, and 65% of them said language access was “very important” to them, according to the report. 

But only 31% of respondents said they leverage AI translation software for situations like live meetings or communications, the report found. 

Without language access in government, which could be improved upon with technology like AI, “a large contingent of the community just doesn’t feel included, they don’t feel like they have a voice,” said Dave Deasy, chief marketing officer of Wordly. “Ultimately, that leads to a lack of trust in … or a lack of using [government] services that are made available.” 

In Wilmington, Delaware, for instance, the city council last month launched an AI-enabled, real-time translation service during its May meeting. The tech aims to make city council meetings more inclusive for Spanish-speaking community members, who can use a QR code at the meeting room to receive real-live captions or audio translations during in person sessions. City officials plan to expand translations to other languages as needed, Town Square Live reported. 

Local governments in New Jersey are also leveraging AI to make resources more inclusive for multilingual residents. Using tech from Polimorphic, municipalities across the state are deploying AI-powered chatbots and search tools that enable residents to seek information on government services, like permitting or trash collection, in their own language. 

In fact, survey respondents said that the top priorities for language access were public services, such as permit or passport applications, civic engagement opportunities like community meetings and public safety operations. 

Increasing such access could help strengthen collaboration between local governments and residents, 83% of respondents said, and improve municipalities’ legal and regulatory compliance requirements, 79% of them said. Seventy percent of participants cited the opportunity to attract and retain a diverse, skilled workforce as a driver for expanding language inclusivity. 

Despite low rates of adoption for AI-enabled translation services, the public sector’s interest in the tech remains. The majority of respondents — 57% — said their agency is currently evaluating or plans to evaluate the tech’s potential for translation and captioning purposes. 

Governments are increasingly viewing AI as a way to increase translation efficiency and reduce costs associated with human translators and interpreters, Deasy said. 

At the state level, for instance, some Wisconsin lawmakers are looking to allow courts to use AI in lieu of human interpreters for defendants who don’t speak English to assist them throughout court proceedings. Doing so, proponents say, would help address a shortage of professional interpreters across the state and help cut court costs, The Cap Times reported. 

But governments and officials should exercise particular caution when using AI-powered translations in high stake situations, like in court proceedings or emergency situations, that could impact a person’s life, said Gustavo Negrete, interim president of the nonprofit American Alliance of Professional Translators and Interpreters.

AI translations can be suitable for simpler communications, such as telling residents when and where a road closure is occurring, he explained, but officials should consider relying on human interpreters for more serious situations, like communicating information related to voting and elections. 

People who speak a certain language professionally or natively are likely to “convey the message better and more accurately,” Negrete said. 

City officials in San Francisco last year, for instance, expressed concerns over AI’s accuracy and cultural competency when used for translation services but were open to exploring the tech’s potential in the future. 

Ultimately, having human verifiers on staff will remain crucial for governments and agencies looking to adopt and implement AI translations, Negrete said. AI can be limited in the vocabulary and verbiage it can process, for instance, while humans can better understand translations comprehensively. 

Governments don’t need to be anti-AI for translating services, he said, but they should ensure “that it’s actually being used by the right people.”

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