Birchwood Foods, a family-operated meat packing business located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of cutting-edge AI adoption. However, this company is demonstrating a practical and impactful application of artificial intelligence that is significantly improving workplace safety and employee communication. Contrary to the notion that generative AI is still in its nascent stages and confined to tech hubs, Birchwood Foods is a compelling example of how AI is being implemented in traditional industries to solve real-world problems.
For Birchwood Foods, and the US meatpacking industry in general, a diverse workforce is both a strength and a challenge. Birchwood’s 1,000 employees hail from various corners of the globe, including Latin America, Asia, and Africa, bringing a wealth of backgrounds and experiences. This rich diversity also means a multitude of languages spoken within the company, including Tigrynya, Wolof, and Hakha Chin, alongside English. Effectively communicating crucial information, especially regarding health and safety protocols, becomes complex when language barriers are significant, and when some employees may have limited literacy even in their native languages.
Traditionally, Birchwood Foods relied on short videos to convey essential safety and health information to its workforce. Video is generally an effective learning tool, but its efficacy diminishes if the language is not understood by the viewer. Creating videos in every language spoken by Birchwood employees using traditional methods was simply not feasible due to cost and logistical constraints. Subtitling, while an option, proved expensive and ineffective for employees with literacy challenges.
Recognizing the advancements in AI, Caitlin Hamstra, Corporate Learning and Development Manager at Birchwood Foods, explored new technologies for video translation in early 2023. Kim Crawford, Head of HR, Safety, and Learning & Development, supported this initiative, leading to an exploration of generative AI language models. This search led Birchwood Foods to Synthesia, a UK-based startup specializing in avatar-based video creation. Synthesia’s platform offered a solution: generating videos from text that could be spoken by avatars in an impressive array of languages – 131 at the time of Birchwood’s adoption. By October 2023, Birchwood Foods and Synthesia had partnered, and Hamstra, along with L&D Supervisor James Nolan, began integrating this innovative software.
Since implementing Synthesia, Birchwood Foods has significantly enhanced its video communication capabilities. They have produced 120 videos, each approximately 5 to 6 minutes long, utilizing avatars to deliver spoken content in languages covering 95% of their diverse workforce. According to Crawford, providing work instructions and safety guidelines in employees’ native languages has been met with overwhelmingly positive responses. This approach has demonstrably improved employee engagement, retention, safety practices, and overall buy-in to their roles at Birchwood Foods.
Each video typically focuses on the critical steps of a specific task, Birchwood Foods’ specific procedures, and the rationale behind those procedures. Furthermore, the technology empowers plant stakeholders to quickly create presentations on relevant issues. By using the AI assistant with presentation slides, selecting a tone, audience, and attitude, a video can be generated in mere minutes. Even existing training materials, such as courses on water conservation, have been efficiently translated into multiple languages using Synthesia.
The speed and agility of AI-driven video creation proved invaluable in addressing immediate safety concerns. Following a minor warehouse incident involving a forklift and a truck, Birchwood Foods swiftly created a 5-minute video in the languages spoken by forklift operators. This rapid response allowed supervisors to immediately deploy the videos on tablets and ensure that relevant employees received the critical safety information promptly.
To maintain accuracy, Birchwood Foods incorporates a human element in the translation process. After the initial translation by Synthesia’s software, a human translator validates the language quality and accuracy. This hybrid approach allows for necessary edits to both the translation and the avatar’s visual actions, ensuring the message is clear and culturally appropriate. Crawford emphasizes a pragmatic approach: “We don’t expect perfection; we just want to reach as many employees as possible,” highlighting the focus on effective communication over linguistic perfection.
Synthesia’s ongoing advancements in generative AI are further enhancing video communications. With over 20 new avatars featuring more lifelike movements, and developments in creating “synthetic media” or lifelike avatars based on real individuals, the potential for personalized and impactful communication is expanding. This could enable stakeholders, even the CEO of Birchwood Foods, to deliver messages in multiple languages, creating a more personal and engaging experience for employees.
While concerns surrounding the potential misuse of AI in media are valid, the positive applications, as demonstrated by Birchwood Foods, are undeniable. Generative AI tools like Synthesia are breaking down language barriers and fostering more inclusive and safer workplaces. As AI technology continues to evolve, the concept of a “foreign language” in the workplace may indeed become a thing of the past, paving the way for truly global and interconnected communication. Birchwood Foods is at the forefront of this evolution, leveraging AI not as a futuristic novelty, but as a practical tool to enhance the well-being and effectiveness of its diverse workforce.
