AI Emerging as Critical Tool to Bridge Language Access Gap

Wordly Study Reveals Budget and Logistics Are Blocking Government Efforts to Serve Multilingual Communities

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Los Altos, CA – Wordly, the leader in live AI translation, has released its 2025 State of Language Access in Government report, revealing government agencies recognize the importance of inclusive communication, but budget and logistical hurdles prevent widespread adoption of effective solutions. 

With over 94% of municipalities serving multilingual communities and only 11% calling their public meetings “very inclusive,” the gap is clear. 50% cite budget constraints and 39% cite logistical barriers to improving language access.

Despite these barriers, demand for inclusive communication is growing since 61% of municipalities report rising numbers of non-native English speakers. As government budgets tighten, the public sector is turning to real-time AI tools to meet multilingual communication needs.

“This is not just a communications upgrade, it’s a digital transformation,” said Lakshman Rathnam, Founder and CEO of Wordly. “AI translation is now a critical communications tool for communities facing demographic shifts and rising service demands. Cities no longer have to choose between doing nothing or spending thousands of dollars per day on live interpreters. With real-time AI solutions, residents can scan a QR code and follow public meetings or access services in their preferred language - no special equipment, no scheduling, just instant access. It’s easy, scalable, and budget-friendly.”

Priorities - Access to Services, Civic Participation, Public Safety

Governments cite the following as top priorities for improving language access:

• 81% - Access to essential public services (e.g., permits, passports)
• 67% - Civic participation (e.g., city council meetings)
• 61% - Public safety alerts and communication

Benefits - Beyond DEI: Language Access = Strategic Advantage

Language access isn’t just about inclusion; it’s a smart investment in building stronger, more connected communities.

• 83% believe inclusive communication will strengthen resident collaboration
• 79% say it helps meet legal and regulatory requirements
• 70% view it as a tool for attracting and retaining a diverse, skilled workforce

Civic Engagement and AI Tech Trends

• 66% rely on bilingual staff, an outdated language access model that doesn’t scale in communities where multiple languages are spoken.
• Only 31% currently use AI tools, signaling a major growth opportunity.
• Early AI Adopters Show High ROI
  
  • San José, CA replaced in-person interpreters with Wordly, significantly reducing translation costs while expanding language access.
  • LA County used Wordly to deliver real-time public safety information, including during the LA area wildfires.

Population Impacts Tech Readiness

• 56% of large cities (300,000+) are evaluating AI solutions.
• 74% of medium cities (50,000-299,999) show strong commitment (rate language access as “very important”) but face budget and logistics obstacles.
• 76% of small cities (under 50,000) describe meetings as not inclusive.

Regional Trends - Red & Blue States Align on Benefits

Blue states report more linguistic diversity, while Red states are seeing faster growth in non-native English-speaking populations. Yet both agree on the benefits of inclusive communication, with over 80% in both regions citing improved community collaboration as a key outcome.

A Call to CIOs, CTOs, and GovTech Leaders

This report is a wake-up call for local government IT leaders: The next frontier of government communication modernization is multilingual and AI-powered. Real-time translation has moved from a nice-to-have to a mission-critical capability for inclusive, modern governance.

Access the Report

• The full report is available for download.

Research Methodology

Wordly partnered with SmartBrief / ICMA to survey 117 local government employees in March 2025 for the 2025 State of Language Access in Government report. Respondents worked for municipalities of all sizes, from small towns to large cities, with nearly half (47%) serving populations between 50,000 and 300,000.

The research focused on language access and multilingual communication, plus the role of AI translation in enhancing accessibility and civic engagement. Over 94% of respondents serve multilingual communities, with 22% reporting more than 10 languages spoken locally. Participants included professionals from communications, community engagement, IT, and public safety.

About Wordly

Wordly is the pioneer and leader in AI translation, providing a high-quality, secure, easy-to-use, and affordable live AI translation and caption solution for communicating across multiple languages. Wordly translates dozens of languages in real-time, making in-person and virtual meetings and events more inclusive, accessible, and engaging. Its SaaS platform meets enterprise-grade security & privacy standards and eliminates the need for human interpreters or special equipment. Millions of users across thousands of organizations - including corporate, nonprofit, government, education, and religious sectors - trust Wordly for their multilingual communication needs. For more information, visit www.wordly.ai.

About SmartBrief 

A subsidiary of Future Plc, SmartBrief is the leading digital media publisher of targeted business news and insight by industry. By combining the best of technology and editorial expertise, SmartBrief delivers the most relevant industry news – curated daily from thousands of sources – in partnership with leading trade associations, professional societies, nonprofits and corporations to nearly 7 million senior executives, thought leaders and industry professionals.

About ICMA

ICMA is the leading organization of local government professionals dedicated to creating and sustaining thriving communities throughout the world. They do this by working with our more than 13,000 members to identify and speed the adoption of leading local government practices to improve the lives of residents. ICMA offers membership, professional development programs, research, publications, data and information, technical assistance, and training to local government chief administrative officers, their staff, and other organizations around the globe.

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Media Contact

Christina Carey
christina.carey@wordly.ai