Language Access Research

Multilingual communication needs are growing, but most municipalities still rely on informal solutions like bilingual staff. This research report reveals how local governments are approaching language access, and how AI translation is emerging as a scalable, cost-effective alternative for meetings, civic engagement, and public safety.

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Wordly partnered with SmartBrief to survey 117 public sector employees from municipalities across the U.S. to better understand how local governments are approaching multilingual communication. The survey was administered online in March and published May 2025.

Some key statistics from the AI translation research report include:
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Most cities report that the number of non-native English speakers in their communities is increasing.

  • A majority (61%) of municipalities report that the number of non-English speakers is increasing

  • Only 16% report no change

Language Access is widely recognized as a priority for municipalities but implementation is lacking

  • Nearly two-thirds (65%) of respondents say language access is “very important” for their community

  • Only 11% consider it a low priority or not important at all

  • 62% of respondents say their meetings are either “low” or “not at all” inclusive

Cities over rely on informal solutions to support language access

  • The most commonly used method is relying on bilingual employees (66%)

  • Written translation (50%) and captions (37%) are more common than AI translation (31%) or professional interpreters for 2 or more languages (19%)

  • Fewer than 1 in 5 (18%) municipalities use sign language interpretation

Top barriers for language access and use case prioritization include

  • Half (50%) of respondents cite budget as the main obstacle to improving language access.

  • Logistical complexity (39%) is the second highest barrier.

  • 81% of respondents say access to public services is the top objective for investing in translation and caption services.

  • Civic engagement (67%) and public safety (61%) also rank highly.

Interest in AI translation is high, though adoption is still emerging

  • Over half (57%) of respondents are either currently evaluating or plan to evaluate AI translation tools

  • 28% say they have no plans to evaluate, and 12% have never heard of the technology

These highlights only scratch the surface. The full Ebook includes comprehensive findings from 117 municipalities, segmented by city size, region, and political leaning. See how language access priorities, barriers, and adoption of AI translation tools vary across the country - and uncover data-driven insights to guide your own language access strategy.

Download the Report