Summ AI and Wortliga: How Language Reaches More People

Flora, Gidon, would you like to tell us about the history of your company and explain what you actually do?

Flora: With Summ AI, we offer an AI tool that generates  "plain" language from normal and complex language. The idea came from personal experience: My aunt cannot understand complex texts due to her cognitive impairment; however, she would like to, as she is very interested in politics, for example. I therefore decided to use the knowledge from my time in AI research to enable people like her to participate better. My founding partners and I developed prototypes of the AI and optimized them step by step. We finally founded Summ AI in 2022, also in light of the fact that companies will have to be linguistically accessible from 2025. The start gives us confidence. We are part of a great ecosystem for founders in Munich and have been able to collect local funding and external investment.

Thank you for the insights. Now to you, Gidon.

Gidon: I already enjoyed writing when I was at school and was interested in communication psychology. After working briefly at a publishing house, I founded my own editorial office Wortliga in 2009. My main focus was on the search engine optimization of texts. And somehow I was always preoccupied with the question: How can texts actually be made even more comprehensible?

„We don't target the broad masses“

And then you came up with the idea for a tool.

Gidon: Exactly. Together with partners, I developed the Wortliga text analysis tool, which recognizes the principles of clear, understandable language and provides users with appropriate information when they enter a text. The feedback was overwhelming, for example from the marketing industry, but also from the healthcare sector and educational institutions. In 2020, we founded our own limited company for the software. Our focus was now on the tool and language consulting. We have grown steadily over the years. Most recently, we launched the AI tool Plain, which translates complicated texts into clear language.

What is the difference between the "plain" language of Summ AI and the "clear" language of Wortliga?

Flora: Easy language is the most simplified language of all. Subordinate clauses only appear here in absolutely exceptional cases. Plain language, the second form of accessible language, allows a little more complexity. In contrast to Wortliga, we are not primarily aimed at the general public, but at people with cognitive disabilities or people with a migration background who do not yet speak German very well. To ensure that our texts are understood, we regularly invite people who are dependent on accessible language to feedback sessions.

How do you handle it when there is no simple synonym for an abstract word?

Flora: Then we explain the word. For example, there is no simple synonym for "artificial intelligence", but the term can be described in several sentences. We provide our customers with a glossary with simple explanations for frequently occurring abstract words.

Party program more difficult to read than banks' general terms and conditions

Gidon, don't institutions with high intellectual standards such as universities, museums or literary publishers raise their profile when they use complex language?

Gidon: Studies show that complex forms of expression are perceived as nonsensical. We have a stronger and more positive perception of institutions and people who communicate clearly. Even experts prefer comprehensible language. A great example is Professor Harald Lesch, who explains scientific topics very clearly on the TV show Terra X, for example, and is very well received. Incidentally, companies also work more productively when they simplify their language, as they don't have to constantly explain to customers what they mean.

In which industries is language particularly complicated?

Gidon: We recently took a closer look at party program and found that they are even more difficult to read than the general terms and conditions of banks. Even at the Federal Agency for Public Education, we couldn't find a single text that was generally understandable. Shorter sentences would go a long way here. It would also be desirable if parties and companies used fewer passive constructions to conceal their responsibility.

How important is it for the media to use accessible or clear language?

Flora: When it comes to political issues in particular, it is crucial to offer easy or simple language in order to counteract populist tendencies. People with limited language skills should be able to follow political developments and take part in discussions. But inclusion is also important outside of political issues. I am surprised that not all media companies have yet recognized this opportunity to reach a previously untapped target group.

Are public broadcasters obliged to offer accessible language?

Flora: The Interstate Media Treaty includes the principle of accessibility, which includes linguistic comprehensibility. I'm pleased that the Tagesschau, for example, will be providing editions in plain language in future.

The goal: Providing health information online in plain language

Gidon, you were allowed to advise the Tagesschau at the beginning of the year. What did you notice when analyzing the show?

Gidon: I noticed many empty phrases. For example, the Tagesschau reported on Christian Lindner's plans to do justice to the constitutional backlog of child tax allowances. What does that mean? Does the child allowance contradict the constitution? Should a law be changed? The editors would actually have to ask the relevant politicians what they actually mean. But they usually don't have the time. And simplifying something without asking is too risky for the editors. After all, ten million viewers sit in front of the screen every evening.

So does the fault lie more with the politicians?

Gidon: Politicians often use deliberately vague language, they don't want to be pinned down to their statements, and this makes comprehensible journalism more difficult. Newsrooms are inundated with a flood of empty phrases every day. Nevertheless, journalists should not hide behind politicians. In the case of particularly obscure formulations, a discussion with the sender is advisable to avoid misunderstandings among the audience.

Flora, do you have an interesting case with you?

Flora: Yes. We are currently cooperating with Wort & Bild Verlag, which publishes Apotheken Umschau. Our aim is to make health information available online in plain language. Until now, the publisher has done this task manually, but now it wants to use artificial intelligence to make a much larger amount of information accessible.

Communicating clearly facilitates access to information

What are the biggest challenges in this project?

Flora: We have a basic model that works well for public authorities, for example, which are our most frequent clients. If we move into a different, specific linguistic context, we usually have to develop the model further. As part of the project for Wort & Bild Verlag, we train the model with text examples from the healthcare sector, for example. Language experts are also providing scientific support for the project.

Looking to the future: what message or wishful thinking do you have regarding the use of language in society?

Gidon: There is a dogma that comprehensibility is for the "stupid". The opposite is true: anyone who writes and speaks intelligibly fulfills the demanding criteria of good language and doesn't present others with unnecessary hurdles. More people should realize that.

Flora: Older people with an academic background in particular sometimes tell me that they consciously want to set themselves apart through their language. They think it's perfectly fine if not everyone understands them. I think it's a weak position to have to use your own language to set yourself apart and exclude a larger section of society in the process. I would be happy to see a rethink here.