GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Grand Rapids Public Schools is now using artificial intelligence software to translate videos and better reach Spanish-speaking families in the district.
The Spanish video blogs of Superintendent Leadriane Roby are posted on the district website in addition to the original English version.
The videos are uploaded to a website that processes the clip and creates the new version. GRPS pays $1,500 a year for the subscription.
News 8 spoke with Roby Tuesday as she was recording an upcoming video.
“We were missing a target audience when we did not have an access point for them,” Roby said. “The first time that I saw it. I was like, that person’s voice sounds like me and even kind of the intonation and different things and I was like, ‘How did they do that?’ and so I was amazed by it.”
The superintendent does not speak Spanish but about 40% of the students in the district do and 28% say it is their preferred language at home.
The videos also make it clear AI was used, according to Leon Hendrix, the executive director of communications.
“We want to make sure that folks know that this is a computer-assisted translation so we put that right on screen anytime we use this,” Hendrix said.
As impressive as the technology may be, Hendrix said it is not putting GRPS translators out of work.
“We also make sure this message is reviewed by someone who is a native Spanish speaker for accuracy, for clarity, before it’s ever published,” Hendrix said.
GRPS is also looking for ways the software can be used to help students learn.
“In education, we’re always learning and growing and we have to embrace technology. We can’t be afraid of it because what ends up happening is we kind of put up these barriers of we can’t do anything with it or we’re afraid to kind of engage in it and our young people sometimes get ahead of us and we should be learning right along with them,” Hendrix said.
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