AI and Multilingualism: How AI Is Bridging Europe’s Language Gaps
Europe’s beauty isn’t only in its landscapes and architecture; it’s in its languages the way Maltese, Finnish, Greek, or Portuguese each express our shared humanity differently. Our languages carry identity and memory; but no matter how far apart we sound, we’re all European.
Last Friday, 7 November, I had the chance to experience that idea in action at Europe House in Valletta, during a talk led by Ágnes Farkas, Team Leader for AI Language Services Advisory at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Translation (DGT).
Her presentation explored how artificial intelligence is being used to support multilingualism across the EU not to replace translators or language professionals, but to help us speak to one another more easily and inclusively. It was interesting to see concrete use cases on the use of AI in this space for public bodies, SMEs/NGOs, educators, and creators.This event was hosted by the European Commission Representation in Malta.
Why these services matter
Europe’s multilingualism has always been a strength, but it’s also a daily challenge. Every EU regulation, announcement, or initiative has to reach citizens in their own language. For smaller language communities like Maltese, that’s an ongoing commitment to equality.
AI is now playing a supportive role in this work: helping institutions, educators, SMEs, NGOs, and citizens communicate across 24 official EU languages and beyond.
Most of these tools also support Arabic, Chinese, Icelandic, Japanese, Norwegian, Russian, Turkish, and Ukrainian, extending Europe’s digital conversation well beyond its borders.
For a small, multilingual country like Malta, this matters. We constantly move between languages, and tools that make that flow easier don’t just save time they strengthen inclusion.
“Where Language and Technology Meet: harnessing AI to go further” info event at Europe House, Valletta on 7th November, 2025
A closer look at the tools
Farkas introduced the new AI-Based Multilingual Services, there are nine of them in total each built for a specific task, from translation and summarising to anonymisation and accessibility.
🟦 eTranslation
The EU’s official neural machine translation tool; safe, secure, and built on decades of linguistic expertise. It runs entirely inside the Commission’s infrastructure, so no data leaves EU servers.
💡 For public bodies or NGOs handling sensitive information, this offers an alternative to commercial translation tools.
Languages: all 24 EU languages + Arabic, Chinese, Icelandic, Japanese, Norwegian, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian.
🟦 eBriefing
This tool creates a first draft of a briefing from up to 10 source files summarising key points, background, and even Q&A sections. It uses a large language model (LLM) under strict EU data protection.
💡 Where I see potential: policy teams, researchers, and educators preparing multilingual materials.
Languages: same as above.
🟦 eReply
Generates a draft response to complex submissions, consultation requests, or formal correspondence.
💡 Example: A Maltese local authority could use it to prepare replies to EU project queries while maintaining a consistent tone.
Languages: EU 24 + 8 others.
🟦 eSummary
Produces a concise overview of any document, helping users decide whether they need a full translation or just a summary.
💡 Perfect for: journalists or NGOs that regularly sift through lengthy EU papers.
Languages: EU 24 + 8 others.
🟦 WebText
This one really caught my attention. WebText rewrites text in plain, web-friendly language, adding structure and clarity — exactly what many institutional websites need.
💡 Great for: government or NGO websites, where content often needs to be both formal and accessible.
Languages: all EU languages.
🟦 Accessible Text
Simplifies writing so it’s easier to read for people with learning or language difficulties producing clear, structured versions of the same content.
💡 Why it matters: For public information especially health, education, or citizen services clarity is inclusion.
Languages: English, French, and German (with more coming).
🟦 Anonymisation
Automatically removes personal data (names, addresses, etc.) to comply with GDPR and protect privacy.
💡 Potential use: preparing research or public consultation data for publication.
Languages: EU 24 + 8 others.
🟦 Multilingual Post
Generates short translations (for social posts, newsletters, or event invites) in several languages at once.
💡 Practical for: European projects and NGOs running awareness campaigns across borders.
Languages: EU 24 + 8 others.
🟦 Speech-to-Text
Transcribes audio or video into written text or subtitles (.vtt/.srt). It handles videos up to 1 GB and audio up to 200 MB.
💡 Imagine: turning a conference recording in Valletta into a multilingual, subtitled video automatically.
Languages: most EU languages + Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Norwegian, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian.
All content is processed within the Commission’s secure environment. These systems are tools to help humans work faster and smarter, not to remove them from the process. Every AI-generated output still benefits from professional review especially where nuance matters.
Who can use them
They’re available free of charge to:
EU staff and institutions
Public administrations (national, regional, and local)
SMEs and NGOs
Academia and research bodies
Digital Europe programme participants
Anyone based in the EU (or an affiliated country) can register at language-tools.ec.europa.eu using EU Login.
Why it matters
The European Commission’s AI-Based Multilingual Services are more than a tech rollout they’re a commitment to inclusion and linguistic equality.
They:
Expand access to information in every European language.
Empower small organisations and local councils to communicate across borders.
Preserve smaller languages, including Maltese, in the digital sphere.
Strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty, ensuring our language data stays under EU governance.
Final thoughts
As I left Europe House that Friday, I kept thinking: this isn’t just about translation it’s about connection, communication and inclusion.
Walking through Valletta’s streets, hearing a mix of Maltese, English, and Italian, I felt what these tools are really about: making sure everyone’s voice can be heard and understood.
Language has always been one of Europe’s greatest treasures. Now, with the help of responsible AI, it could become our greatest bridge.