Accentism for profit? What Telus is getting wrong about accents. by Dr. Molly Babel and Amanda Cardoso, department of linguistics May 20, 2026 Telus Digital, the global technology and digital services arm responsible for the telecommunication giant's call centres, has recently deployed an "accent masking" artificial intelligence tool to change the way its offshore agents sound. The technology analyzes agents' pronunciation in real time and reshapes their accents to more closely resemble generalized North American or British English speech patterns. Linguistic profiling or accentism - stereotyping, treating someone unfairly or viewing them negatively based on their accent - can permeate aspects of its society in ways that have real-life consequences. They can affect hiring decisions, outcomes of legal proceedings, assumptions about the crimes one might commit, assessments in education and access to housing. Telus appears to be taking advantage of incredible technological advances in signal processing and resynthesis to reproduce an ugly aspect of human behaviour. As language scholars UBC believe it is demeaning, manipulative and wrong. And, if UBC swap in nearly any other social characteristic, it would be discrimination. In order to see racism, UBC need to see race. So imagine a filter on glasses that changes people's skin tone, for example, homogenizing its ethnic and racial identities. There are several strands of evidence that indicate the accentism Telus is practising is not in the best interest of the call centre agents or Canadian consumers. Some accents are harder. Its discriminatory tastes in speech start early. Children prefer playmates who share their accent, even in linguistically rich cities like Toronto. The credibility and trustworthiness adults attribute to individuals and voice-AI assistants vary with the accent. Telus says it's implementing an accent manipulation AI tool because some Telus customers have expressed difficulty in understanding "heavy foreign accents." This is a leap in logic. Researchers have known for decades that the perception of accent strength is not well-correlated with how well that voice can be understood. In the case of call centres in India or the Philippines, call agents may be first-language speakers of English, albeit a different variety than Canadian English. As of yet, there is no public indication that this tech is being used on agents who speak English with a French Québécois accent or a Newfoundland one or a Cape Briton lilt. It's also worth noting that everyone has an accent; unaccented speech is a myth. An accent is simply a way of speaking that is distinctive to a specific group. If this is genuinely about comprehension, then why would it apply to some accents and not others? In any instance where UBC experience difficulty in understanding someone, it is always beneficial to pause and reflect on whether it is a "them problem" or a "me problem." If there are others who find an accent comprehensible, it is most likely a "me problem." The cost of accent manipulation. Any human interaction is a two-way street, and the success of that communication comes, in large part, from an implicit collaborative building of understanding - an establishment of a common ground. When Canadian customers are being duped about who they are talking to - even when this duping is, according to Telus, "to bridge communication gaps and deliver crystal-clear voice experiences" - a cornerstone of that communicative collaboration is removed, leaving an increased opportunity for misunderstanding. Call centres often already have policies about "regulating identity" of their agents, including strict policies around accents, requirements that agents change their names to something more western-sounding or requirements that agents go through accent modification training. These requirements can lead to workplace anxiety and stress, affecting the quality of the interaction between the consumer and agent. Interestingly, call centre agents have already observed that if customers identify the accent as being fake or not genuine - when words and structures being used don't match the accent - customer relations worsen, and customers become abusive. What this means is that this "accent softening," when identified as fake or if leading a customer to assume they are not speaking to a real person, may lead to more frustration by customers and worse treatment of call centre agents. Exposure to diverse accents. Some might argue that it's natural to have an easier time understanding someone whose accent is closely aligned with your own. This is true, but this benefit does not come on its own; it is a function of having more experience with an accent. Think about it this way. There are probably people in your life that you find very easy to understand, like a spouse, family member or close friend. Indeed, that immense familiarity you have with a spouse's voice makes it both easier to attend to and ignore your loved one. It doesn't matter if their accent is the same as yours; it's the experience that matters. Experience renders both voices and accents more comprehensible. Diverse listening experiences can also make UBC better listeners, facilitating understanding of a wider range of accents. This is to say, as a listener, you stand to gain from exposing yourself to new voices and accents. AI technology that can modify specific features of an acoustic speech signal while preserving the speaker's individual identity is cool science. AI can be an incredibly useful tool, but also comes with a human responsibility. Responsible and human-centric approaches to AI should seek to limit harm. In this case, the "accent softening" of Telus call centre agents is discriminatory to the agents. It's also a morally dubious misrepresentation of identity to Canadian consumers that disrupts the natural and productive friction that comes with human interaction. Molly Babel receives research funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Amanda Cardoso receives research funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Contact. UBC Media Relations [email protected]

€33,601.70 raised for Sunflower Children's thanks to Bound for Canada, with TELUS Digital and Kenaidan Contractors Ltd. * April 7, 2026 Home " €33,601.70 raised for Sunflower Children's thanks to Bound for Canada, with TELUS Digital and Kenaidan Contractors Ltd. An incredible €33,601.70 has been raised for the Sunflower Children's Hospice project, in an initiative by Mayo County Council in collaboration with TELUS Digital, Ballina and Kenaidan Contractors Ltd. Collectively, between a Bound for Canada musical event over two nights, a charity raffle, and a table quiz, the organisers exceeded all expectations. A huge thank you to everyone who played a part in reaching this fantastic total. Your support is greatly appreciated. Online Raffle Raises €16,040 A hugely impressive €16,040 was raised for the Sunflower Children's Hospice project through a monster fundraising raffle, sponsored by TELUS Digital in Ballina. The raffle winners were drawn at a fundraising Table Quiz at the Cot and Cobble in Ballina on Friday, February 13th. * Fiona Bush was the lucky winner of the €5,000 Dromoland Castle Hotel Voucher. * Mary McHugh won the framed 2025 Masters Flag, signed by Rory McIlroy. * Michelle Munnelly won two tickets to see Take That at the Aviva Stadium in July. Quiz Raises €936.70 A fundraising table quiz took place in the Cot and Cobble in Ballina on Friday, February 13th, as part of TELUS Digital's fundraising activities. There was great fun throughout the evening, with the brilliant sum of €936.70 raised through the quiz for the Sunflower Children's Hospice project. Bound for Canada Fundraiser The inaugural Bound for Canada: A Musical Journey from Hardship to Hope fundraiser for the Sunflower Children's Hospice delivered a truly unforgettable experience, bringing audiences to their feet in the Ballina Arts Centre. Held over two nights in December, the concert featured a full 80-minute symphony. A massive €13,515 was raised through the two-night event, with an additional €3,110 raised in raffles over the two nights. The shows were organised as fundraisers to support the building of The Sunflower Children's Hospice - Ireland's first children's hospice on the Western Seaboard, with large crowds gathering over two unforgettable nights to support the inaugural fundraiser for the project. Of course, it was fitting that Ballina played host to this magnificent two-night fundraiser for the Sunflower Children's Hospice. The home of the Dunford family, Kevin Dunford was three weeks short of his ninth birthday when he sadly died in 2014. His life, values and legacy were a central inspiration behind the children's hospice, and large crowds gathered over two unforgettable nights to support what was the inaugural fundraiser for the project. Audiences were treated to a music extravaganza, which told the incredibly beautiful story of the Irish contribution to building and shaping modern Canada. The talented ensemble featured Sibéal, Hubert Francis, Ellen Fair, Odhrán Ó Casaide, Dr Claire Fitch, the Garda Band conducted by Inspector Pat Kenny, and St Muredach's Cathedral Choir led by Regina Deacy, delivering unforgettable breathtaking performances. A special fundraising raffle was also launched during the Ballina performances Special appreciation goes to all event partners, including TELUS Digital, Kenaidan, Ballina Arts Centre, Ballina Manor Hotel, Midwest Radio, Event Audio Visual, Mayo County Council, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Connacht Bottlers, Noo Chocolates, Clarie's Kitchen and Doherty's Daybreak, whose support made this extraordinary event possible. Special guests on the evening included His Excellency Dennis King, Canadian Ambassador, accompanied by his wife Jana Hemphill; Minister Dara Calleary, TD; Senator Mark Duffy; Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Cllr Seán Carey; Robert G Kearns, Founding Chair, Canada Ireland Foundation; and Mark Purdy, Chair, Canada Ireland Foundation. Speaking after the event, Martina Jennings, CEO of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, thanked everyone who made this inaugural fundraiser possible. "From performers, production teams and volunteers, the scale of goodwill and collaboration was extraordinary. I am especially grateful to our event partners whose generosity and belief in the project were instrumental in bringing Bound for Canada to life in Ballina and ensuring meaningful impact for hospice care," she said. Joanne Grehan, Director of Services at Mayo County Council and a board member of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, described Bound for Canada as a truly memorable event. "I would like to sincerely thank the people of Ballina and Mayo for embracing this inaugural fundraiser with such warmth and generosity. It also showcased the deep and enduring ties between Canada and Mayo - connections built on shared history, values, and a spirit of opportunity that continues to inspire collaboration today," she said. "What made these concerts so special was the way our entire community came together - families, businesses, performers, volunteers, and partners - with our children and young people at the heart of our fundraising efforts. Their future, their care, and their potential are the reason we do this. Once again, Mayo can stand tall in helping to deliver this much-needed service to the Western Seaboard. We are proud to play our part and excited for what comes next," Ms Grehan added.