OPENING LINES MORE CITIES ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND MULTILINGUAL ACCESS TO SERVICES. COULD AI SPELL THE ANSWER? Source: www.smartcitiesdive.com, Ryan Kushner, First Published Feb 11th, 2026 Wordly launched an AI platform designed to expand real-time captioning and translations for local government operations. Multilingual communities are on the rise in the U.S. In Wordly’s survey, 61% of local governments reported an increase in non-native English speakers. To meet growing translation needs, many local governments are turning to AI. After Los Angeles County used AI translation tools for press conferences during the January 2025 wildfires, the Board of Supervisors started using the translation service during board meetings later that year. San Jose, California, Mayor Matt Mahan said the city council has seen a surge of Spanish speakers participating in meetings since the council started using Wordly AI services in 2024. Kansas City, Missouri, last year incorporated AI for real-time interpretation services during city meetings through its Office of Language Access, established in 2024. In June, Maryland launched a bilingual AI chatbot under Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet model for accessing information about the state’s SUN Bucks food benefits program. New Orleans started offering AI translation services through Boostlingo at regular city council meetings in December. Whether residents will accept and trust AI translation services remains to be seen. A 2025 survey found 50% of U.S. residents were “uncomfortable” with government agencies using AI for public services. 9 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 13, ISSUE 02
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