How AI’s Language Barrier Limits Response to Climate Disasters

When there is severe flooding, a message appears on the Internet: “This rain will not be small, oh, red everywhere.” Someone unfamiliar with the wording might hesitate. But for the people of Nigeria, the message is immediate and clear: the floods are severe and getting worse.

Moments like this happen again and again on digital platforms. People don’t write in perfect, standardized English sentences. They share warnings and reactions on platforms such as X, WhatsApp and Facebook in the language of everyday life. This sometimes means mixing English with local expressions, slang and the expressive language of their communities.

Artificial intelligence systems can understand language and solve a wide range of problems. Governments and organizations are increasingly using AI to scan social media, summarize public conversations, and even respond to environmental and climate issues.

But many of these tools struggle to understand the way people actually communicate. Local expressions and slang can…