California health policy officials plan to leverage emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technology to translate a wide range of documents and websites related to health and social services. According to state records, this initiative aims to make critical health care forms, applications, and information available to more people in the nation’s most linguistically diverse state.
The project will begin by translating written material, with human editors overseeing and editing the translations. If successful, the technology may be applied more broadly, transforming not only documents but also websites and call center interactions.
However, some translators and scholars express concerns about the limitations of AI. They argue that machines lack the nuance of human interaction, potentially leading to errors in wording and understanding. Rithy Lim, a Fresno-based medical and legal interpreter, emphasizes that AI cannot replace human compassion, empathy, and transparency in sensitive contexts. Despite these challenges, California remains committed to exploring the potential of AI in health care translation.
See “¿Cómo Se Dice? California Loops In AI To Translate Health Care Information” (June 20, 2024)
