Councils could use AI to translate documents into Welsh

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter

Two Welsh councils could work closer together on translating documents into Welsh, including using AI technology. 

Councils, and other public bodies, are legally required to produce documents and provide services in Welsh. 

Monmouthshire County Council looked at alternatives to its current use of external translators as part of its budget-setting process due to increased demand which has seen spending on translations exceed the allocated budget. 

Its performance and overview scrutiny committee was told total costs, to the council of providing Welsh language services, was £226,940 last year.

But it wasn’t clear if that figure only covered translations or also the cost of two officers. Equalities and Welsh language manager, Pennie Walker, described the “major costs” as translations and her salary, and that of the Welsh language officer, while ensuring compliance with Welsh language standards is the “day to day responsibility of all officers”.

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'Most desired option'

Nia Roberts, the Welsh language officer, said closer working with neighbouring Torfaen Borough Council is currently “the most desired option” to save on translation costs and it is already using AI, also known as artificial intelligence.

Ms Roberts said Monmouthshire currently uses external translators, who may already be using AI systems, but that wouldn’t produce a saving for the council as it currently pays by the word.

She said AI would “never produce 100 per cent accurate translations” and added: “It will need to have some kind of proof reading to make sure the translation is accurate.”

Rogiet Labour member Peter Strong had asked if a favoured option had emerged from the ongoing review that has also considered continuing with external translators and setting up its own in-house translation team. 

Ms Roberts said joining with Torfaen “looks the more desirable” and said: “Torfaen is similar to Monmouthshire in the type of documents to be translated.” 

She also said Torfaen uses technology that memorises words it has previously translated which would help with the consistency of documents.

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Proof-reading required

Torfaen councillors, who were presented with their annual report on how their council is complying with Welsh language standards at their June meeting, were told AI has helped with increasing translations by 24 per cent on the previous year. 

Torfaen’s Welsh language officer Alan Vernon-Jones cautioned: “Everything needs to be proof read by a competent Welsh speaker.” 

Monmouthshire’s review of translations has also given “careful consideration” to the potential impact on small Welsh businesses, quality and timeliness, and the need to maintain full compliance with the Welsh language standards. 

Conservative councillor for Gobion Fawr, Alistair Neill, asked Ms Roberts if consideration had been given to working with other public services such as the police and NHS. 

The officer said Welsh language officers in public services across South East Wales have a working group to share best practice which was “more broad than just translations.” 

On AI Cllr Neill, who chairs the committee, said: “It sounds like AI doesn’t speak Welsh very well. The ‘tech bros’ are going to have to do some more work on it.”