Pilot Project on Real-Time AI Interpretation
The Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County is piloting the use of real-time AI interpretation. The pilot involves staff from maternity and child health clinics, social services units that support integration, and targeted services for children and young people. During the trial, real-time AI interpretation will primarily be available in Russian, Ukrainian, and Arabic, with other languages offered as needed.
The goal is to improve access to interpretation services, streamline communication with multilingual clients, and offer greater flexibility when staff and clients don’t share a common language. By reducing wait times to interpretation services, we hope to make interactions smoother for everyone involved.
We'll closely monitor the results and assess their impact on client experiences.
What Is It About?
During the trial, professionals can use an AI-powered mobile app whenever interpretation is needed in the selected languages. The app listens, translates in real time, and plays the translation aloud.
Our initial goal is to find out if real-time AI interpretation can improve communication during appointments. Additionally, we want to understand if AI can enhance client experiences as well as staff flexibility and satisfaction.
How It Works
At the start of the appointment, the professional will open the mobile app, which will inform the client about using AI for interpreting. The app listens, translates in real time, and plays the translation aloud. It also generates a text transcript, allowing the professional to verify accuracy. This text can be reviewed with the client to ensure mutual understanding. If a professional is unsure about the quality of the AI interpretation, they can switch to a human interpreter.
This tool is designed solely to assist communication. No permanent recordings are kept; audio is deleted immediately after the session. However, a temporary copy remains on our servers for 24 hours for quality control before being permanently erased. Since the app records only short segments, it never captures full conversations.
Where and When?
The trial is being carried out in various maternity and child health clinics, various social services units that support integration, as well as within targeted services for children and young people. Some professionals from our wellbeing services county will use AI-powered interpretation when working with clients who speak Russian, Arabic, or Ukrainian. Depending on the situation, AI may also be used for other languages.
At the start of an appointment, professionals will inform clients if AI interpretation will be used. Clients will hear a recorded message in their language explaining the system. Participation is optional—anyone can opt for a human interpreter instead, with no impact on their service or treatment.
Throughout the trial, we will collect feedback from professionals and are eager to hear about our clients’ experiences via our feedback channel.
Following the trial, we’ll evaluate whether to continue and expand AI interpretation services.
