Artificial intelligence translates 112 languages in the streets of Barcelona under a protocol that prevents recording conversations

Artificial intelligence translates 112 languages in the streets of Barcelona under a protocol that prevents recording conversations

Barcelona buys 201 AI translators for social services and the Guàrdia Urbana. They cover 112 languages, although 15% will not operate until September and their use on the street requires consent to protect privacy.

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The Barcelona City Council has acquired 201 portable simultaneous translation devices with artificial intelligence to serve citizens in municipal services and the city's security forces.

The purchase aims to speed up communication in different languages, but it comes with an immediate operational limit because only 85% of the devices are already operational and the rest will not be deployed until September.

Barcelona distributed 130 translators in social services and 43 in the Guàrdia Urbana

The devices have been distributed among the Municipal Institute of Social Services, which has 130 units, the Guàrdia Urbana, with 43, and the citizen service offices, which have received 28.

In total, the devices allow voice translation in 82 languages, text translation by keyboard in 96, and photo translation in 112. The catalog will be expanded with future updates.

For now, 171 devices are already operational.

The Guàrdia Urbana uses them in police stations and also on the street

The most immediate use appears in direct assistance. The Guàrdia Urbana uses these translators both in police facilities and on public roads, especially to guide foreigners and assist victims of theft.

This deployment requires specific usage conditions. The system requires citizen consent, prohibits the dissemination of conversations, and mandates the placement of informative signage about the presence of the devices, in a line that connects with the privacy risks in AI.

In March, the city council presented its artificial intelligence adoption strategy. Jaume Collboni defined it then as ethical, democratic, and sustainable, and cited the Habot chat for housing information among its examples.

Jordi Valls, Deputy Mayor for Economy, defended the technological reinforcement of public services.

"We must reinforce everything related to the incorporation of technology in the provision of public services" - Jordi Valls, Deputy Mayor for Economy, Barcelona City Council

In addition to police and social services, the deployment extends to municipal offices that handle daily procedures and inquiries, an area that had already shown tension due to pressure on in-person services during queues for regularization.

The distribution leaves 28 units in the citizen service offices and sets September as the date to complete the implementation of the 15% that is not yet operational.