The National Weather Service is set to restart its language translation services for those who don’t speak English, beginning Monday. This move marks a reversal of a widely criticized decision made earlier this month to halt the service.
The suspension happened after the agency’s agreement with an artificial intelligence vendor ended. That AI system had replaced human translators in 2023, with the NWS arguing that relying on people for the task had proven too demanding.
The AI firm had been handling translations for languages including Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and Samoan.
Census figures show that there are 42 million Spanish speakers in the United States, in addition to 26 million residents who primarily speak a language other than English at home.
These translation services are critical because they deliver urgent warnings about deadly weather threats—like tornadoes, hurricanes, and tsunamis—to people who may not understand English, potentially saving countless lives.

{Matzav.com}