Weather Alerts Fail to Translate
The decision to pause automated language translation services has significant implications for non-English speaking communities, who may struggle to access life-saving weather information. With 42 million Spanish speakers and 68 million people speaking a language other than English at home, the need for translated weather alerts is more pressing than ever.
The National Weather Service has stopped providing language translations for its emergency warnings, citing the lapse of its contract with AI company Lilt, leaving nearly 68 million non-English speakers in the US at risk of missing life-saving weather alerts.
The service, which provided translations in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and Samoan, was a crucial tool for non-English speakers, particularly in areas with large immigrant populations. Researchers and experts have expressed concerns that the lack of translations could have deadly consequences, citing cases where translations have saved lives in the past. For instance, a Spanish-speaking family took shelter after receiving a tornado alert in Spanish, but ignored a similar alert in English.
The contract lapse comes amid federal agencies' efforts to cut spending, leading to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices. The NWS had previously relied on manual translations, which were labor-intensive and unsustainable, before switching to Lilt's artificial intelligence-based translations in 2023. Experts argue that translated weather information is crucial for various sectors, including tourism, transportation, and energy, and can impact life-or-death decisions.
As the US continues to experience extreme weather events, the lack of language translations for emergency warnings raises concerns about the safety and well-being of non-English speakers. The NWS must find a solution to resume translation services to ensure that all individuals, regardless of their language proficiency, receive critical weather alerts and stay safe during emergencies.