All over the world, governments and municipalities of all sizes are attempting to harness and regulate the growing power of artificial intelligence (AI).[1] Generative AI, a subset of artificial intelligence, is capable of generating original content across many mediums including text, image, audio, and video. This technology goes beyond simple rule-based programming, allowing systems to learn and generate creative outputs based on patterns and data analysis. Private sector enterprises have begun adopting the technology, and its private sector use is predicted to skyrocket in the coming years, with a projected annual growth rate of nearly 60%.[2] However, the public-sector’s efforts to adopt this technology are slower to develop.

Harris County, as the third-largest county in the nation and an international hub for innovation, should be one of the early adopters of this technology and position itself as a trailblazer. The biggest opportunities for the use of generative AI in Harris County operations lie in translation and language access.

As county operations grow larger and more complex, and population demographics shift, translation becomes simultaneously more important and more difficult. According to US Census Data, 45% of Harris County residents over 5 spoke a language other than English at home in 2021. Among those residents who speak a non-English language at home, fewer than half consider themselves to be fluent English speakers. In Harris County, over 850,000 people, or 19% of the population, were limited English speakers in 2021, meaning they spoke English either "not well" or "not at all."[3] A lack of fluency often limits one's economic opportunities, hinders access to healthcare, education, or legal assistance, and even places them at higher risk of exploitation.  Language access, then, refers to a collection of policies and procedure adopted by an organization to ensure effective communication and services for individuals with limited English proficiency.

Despite the importance of language access, many organizations and municipalities fail to provide adequate services to those with limited English proficiency. Harris County faces this problem to a greater degree than other places, with 145 languages being spoken in the county, according to Census data.[4] In this case, translation and language access is a massive undertaking.

Of course, AI will not be a panacea for language access. Complete reliance on AI for all translation and interpretation is not feasible. Human language, especially verbal conversation, entails an amount of nuance and cultural context that even the most sophisticated programs have yet to comprehend and replicate.[5]  However, AI has proven useful in certain areas, reducing strain on resources. Some private sector entities have implemented AI Neural Machine Translation with human post-editing. In this approach, AI translates drafts, which are then checked for accuracy by qualified translators. A study at MigrosBank found that this system increased translation output by 60%, while maintaining or improving accuracy.[6]  By utilizing such a tool, resources allocated to basic translation could be reduced, enabling the county to focus on more complex programs like live interpretation. In addition, it could facilitate nearly simultaneous publication of reports, webpages, broadcasts, and forms in multiple languages. This timely access to resources in familiar languages would enhance access to vital services and recourses for marginalized and disenfranchised groups.

Generative AI, while holding great promise, also presents significant risks. Governments, in particular, must establish robust procedures and policies to mitigate the risks associated with AI, and ensure privacy, security, and accuracy. Developing a holistic framework to implement the use of AI at the county level will be crucial in realizing its benefits, while safeguarding against potential drawbacks.  In developing these procedures and policies, collaboration with relevant stakeholders, piloting initiatives, and ongoing evaluation and adaptation of AI systems will be vital. Governments everywhere have the opportunity to navigate the complexities of AI implementation. Doing so effectively and responsibly would ensure Harris County’s position at the forefront of innovation and language access.

The content and opinions expressed on this webpage are solely the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of nor are they endorsed by the University of Houston or the Hobby School of Public Affairs.

[1] https://www.reuters.com/technology/governments-efforts-regulate-ai-tools-2023-04-12/
[2] https://press.spglobal.com/2023-06-08-Generative-AI-Software-Market-Forecast-to-Expand-Near-10-Times-by-2028-to-36-Billion,-S-P-Global-Market-Intelligence-Says#:~:text=Revenues%20of%20generative%20artificial%20intelligence,S%26P%20Global%20Market%20Intelligence%20report
[3] https://data.census.gov/table?q=Harris+County,+Texas+language&tid=ACSST1Y2021.S1601
[4] https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/article/Houstonians-speak-at-least-145-languages-at-home-6613182.php
[5] https://slate.com/technology/2022/09/machine-translation-accuracy-government-danger.html
[6] https://arxiv.org/pdf/1906.01685.pdf