SmartNews adds AI translation for Spanish and Chinese readers on iOS

SmartNews launched on-demand AI translation on iOS to let multilingual readers view headlines and full articles in Spanish or Chinese inside the app. The feature is designed to reduce language friction for U.S. readers and arrives with machine-generated disclosures, ad exclusions and user feedback tools.

Why it matters: - SmartNews is targeting multilingual readers who want news in their native language without leaving the app. - The feature is meant to make English-language news easier to access for users in the U.S. who prefer Spanish or Chinese. - SmartNews says the update advances its mission of delivering quality information to people who need it.

What happened: - SmartNews launched AI-powered translation on iOS. - The feature lets users tap a button to translate content on demand from the article feed or while reading full text. - At launch, SmartNews supports automated translation into Spanish and Chinese. - Users can read translated headlines when choosing stories and translated full articles after opening them.

The details: - Translation activates only when a reader prompts it. - Users can return to English with one tap. - All translated content carries a disclosure that the translation is machine generated. - Advertisements are not translated in this experience. - SmartNews asks users to rate translated content with thumbs up or thumbs down. - SmartNews will monitor user feedback closely. - Sho Masuda, vice president of U.S. media business, said AI Translation lets multilingual readers understand and engage with more news while keeping the reading experience seamless. - Bernie Davis, head of media partnerships, said translation should help serve users and media partners without affecting monetization or engagement metrics.

Between the lines: - The launch shows SmartNews is pairing AI features with controls meant to preserve transparency and reader choice. - The company is also signaling that the product is designed not to disrupt ad performance, which matters for media partners. - Limiting launch support to Spanish and Chinese suggests SmartNews is starting with the largest immediate use cases before expanding.

What's next: - SmartNews will use thumbs up and thumbs down feedback to refine the experience. - The company is likely to watch engagement and monetization results as it evaluates the feature's impact. - Future language expansion is possible, but SmartNews did not announce additional languages.