Callers to Washington State Hotline Press 2 for Spanish and Get Accented AI English Instead
28th February 2026
Associated Press, a Voice of the Crust.
For months, callers to the Washington state Department of Licensing who have requested automated service in Spanish have instead heard an AI voice speaking English in a strong Spanish accent. The agency has since apologized and says it fixed the problem.
Washington resident Maya Edwards learned of the AI-accented voice last summer after her Mexican husband tried using the Spanish-language option while seeking information about his driver’s license. He is bilingual but saw that the wait time for speaking to a customer service representative in English was long, so he hit 2 for Spanish.
For Edwards, it was a like a scene out of “ Parks and Recreation,” a mockumentary-style comedy show that satires local government.
Now that’s comedy.
