To AI or not to AI...

Why We Must Balance Innovation with Responsibility in AI-Powered Interpreting 

Equity in healthcare doesn't mean offering the same services to everyone—it means making sure every individual has fair access to the care they need to live a healthy life. Factors like language, income, location, or cultural background shouldn’t stand in the way of good health. By recognising and addressing the diverse needs of our communities, healthcare organisations can take meaningful steps toward creating more inclusive, accessible, and equitable care for all. 

AI in Healthcare: Promise and Pitfalls 

There’s no doubt that technology is reshaping how we deliver healthcare. AI, in particular, offers powerful tools that can enhance efficiency and accessibility. However, when it comes to interpreting and translation, especially in clinical settings, not all tools are created equal. 

Translation apps, while convenient, lack the nuance, contextual understanding, and cultural sensitivity required for medical communication. A missed idiom or mistranslation in a clinical encounter isn’t just inconvenient, it can be dangerous. 

This is why NHS England’s framework rightly raises the alarm. It stresses the need for clear guidance on where and when AI can be used, and it urges us all to maintain standards that prioritise clinical safety, patient trust, and equitable access to healthcare. 

This concern is not unique to healthcare. A recent 2025 assessment by the World Health Organisation found that current AI interpretation tools, when used in high-stakes international meetings, failed to deliver consistent accuracy and often introduced serious reputational risks, including diplomatic misunderstandings and cultural misinterpretations. While these settings differ from clinical care, they underscore the fundamental limits of AI’s ability to navigate complex, nuanced, and emotionally sensitive communication without expert human oversight. Whether in the boardroom or the hospital room, accuracy, context, and cultural competency remain critical. 

Our Priority: Innovation with Integrity 

At Word360, we’ve always believed in the power of hybrid solutions. We combine human expertise with the latest technology to ensure that language support is accurate, timely, and inclusive. We understand the value of human interpreting, not just in it’s clinical and cultural accuracy, but in the human connection for the patients. Our vision for AI is one that supports our clients and linguists to deliver the care patients deserve.  

We’ve been actively exploring how AI can complement our services in a safe and meaningful way. This has led to the development of Wordskii Phrases, our latest technology, launching soon. Designed specifically for low-risk or administrative interactions, Wordskii Phrases enables healthcare professionals and patients to communicate outside of formal interpreting sessions. For example, it allows staff to explain routine procedures such as “We’re taking your blood pressure” or “This is a blood sample,” and to ask simple yes/no questions like “Would you like a drink?” or “Are you lying comfortably?” While seemingly small, these brief interactions can have a significant impact on patient experience, helping individuals feel informed, considered, and cared for throughout their treatment. We’ll work closely with departments to customise the phrases to their specific needs, ensuring the tool provides practical, day-to-day support where it’s needed most. 

But right now it’s simple, AI can’t replace the need for a human interpreter when discussing sensitive medical information. Conversations often involve interruptions, accents and technical terminology that requires context and empathy to handle.  

Making Everyone Part of the Conversation

We also recognise that digital exclusion remains a serious barrier. One million people in the UK don’t speak English well, and many are unable to access the NHS App or online services. If AI solutions aren't built with these realities in mind, they risk deepening health inequalities. 

Making service users part of the conversation around how they receive interpreting will be an important step to create equitable access to healthcare. Translated communication that directs service users on how to provide this feedback, plus the ability to provide feedback in their own language, should be a prioritised first step.  

Don't Miss Out on the Middle Ground

Often the call for AI can be linked to the forward planning required for face-to-face interpreting that can’t be factored into emergency requirements. However, video interpreting opens the door to more interpreters, in more languages – reducing wait times but still providing human connection. Our Wordskii on Wheels devices have been designed to support just this, giving the interpreter the ability to see body language, facial expressions and gestures in addition to the words spoken. 

Facial expressions, tone and body language are all additional methods of communication we use every day to communicate our thoughts and feelings alongside our words. AI will be unable to understand and interpret the nuances of these additional communication tools, which can change the meaning of a sentence.  

The Future: Safe, Smart, Inclusive

The future of interpreting in healthcare isn’t about choosing between humans and machines. It’s about building smart, flexible systems that use both. It’s about putting patient safety first, while still embracing innovation.  

At Word360, we’re proud to be leading that charge and we stand ready to collaborate with NHS leaders, commissioners, and frontline professionals to ensure the next chapter of language services is one that works for everyone. 

If you'd like to learn more about our AI-assisted services or join the conversation around standards and safety, please get in touch. 

📩 getintouch@word360.co.uk