Espoo completes AI translation experiment

During the experiment, HelloEspoo.fi content could be read or listened to through AI translations in Arabic, Albanian, Spanish, Chinese, Persian (Farsi), French, Ukrainian, Russian, Vietnamese and Estonian. The languages were chosen based on a number of factors, such as migration to Espoo and language groups in which English is not widely spoken. The widespread knowledge of major world languages was also taken into account, as many people are familiar with these languages even if they are not native speakers.

During the experiment, workshops were organised where participants with an immigrant background tested the translations and provided feedback on the service. In addition, the quality of the translations was assessed and developed in cooperation with experts and various stakeholders. Feedback was also collected through the Hello Espoo website.

The experiment also attracted interest within the City of Espoo organisation and received attention on social media. It served as an example of how AI can be used in practical services in a controlled way.

“A warm thank you to everyone who participated in the workshops and provided feedback. It was wonderful to see so many people willing to give their time and share their experiences. Thanks to their input, we were able to improve the service and learn what works in practice,” said Puumala‑Thévenet.

Espoo’s AI experiment was carried out in cooperation with Voice Intuitive.

At the end of 2025, the City reports the number of foreign-language residents in Espoo was 84,225, which accounts for 26 per cent of the city’s population. Espoo’s foreign-language population consists mainly of working-age people, young people and children. The most common foreign languages spoken in Espoo are Russian, Arabic, English, Estonian and Chinese.

Users can continue to use the HelloEspoo.fi website in three languages, even though the additional AI-generated translations have been removed.