Couple asks Washington Department of Licensing for Spanish speaker – and gets a recording in a Spanish accent instead

By: Monica Carrillo-Casas

Outlets: The Spokesman-Review

Published: February 25, 2026

Words: 564

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 2 days ago

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Last summer, Maya Edwards and her husband called the Washington State Department of Licensing hoping to speak with someone in Spanish.

But when they selected the Spanish self-service option, the first thing they heard wasn’t Spanish. It was an automated voice speaking English with a Hispanic accent.

“It was totally unexpected, but not totally surprising, given the rise of the use of AI and automated systems,” Edwards said. “But it is …

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