In a groundbreaking move, New York City Mayor Eric Adams is employing voice cloning artificial intelligence (AI) to communicate with diverse communities in their native languages, despite not speaking those languages himself. Adams, who speaks only English, has initiated a series of robocalls addressing New Yorkers in Mandarin, Urdu, and Yiddish, generated using conversational AI technology.
Mayor Eric Adams can only speak English, but New Yorkers may soon get AI-generated robocalls with his voice speaking different languages. | Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
While some residents have expressed amazement at Adams’ newfound language skills, concerns have been raised regarding the ethical implications of using AI-generated content without explicit disclosure. The calls, aimed at inviting residents to hiring halls to address the city’s job vacancies, lack a disclaimer indicating their AI origin. Mayor Adams, however, defended the practice, emphasizing the necessity of effective communication in various languages to serve the city’s diverse population.
Assemblymember Clyde Vanel (D-Queens) has introduced a bill advocating for transparency when AI technology is utilized in political contexts. While this case of an elected official employing AI to bridge language gaps was not initially considered, Vanel emphasized the need for broader conversations on ethical AI usage.
Mayor Adams, known for his tech-forward approach, discussed the multilingual calls in the context of the city’s new Artificial Intelligence Action Plan. The city is also launching an AI chatbot, developed by Microsoft in partnership with OpenAI, to assist small business owners with inquiries about city regulations.
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