Localization Today

By  Joshua Pennise The author examines the underlying reasons behind the ASL interpreter shortage — from insufficiently long training programs to “education deserts” — and suggests strategies for creating a more robust pipeline and setting diverse students up for success.

By  Giovanna Patruno The traditional service-oriented model of language service providers (LSPs) is becoming outdated as clients increasingly expect sophisticated technological ecosystems, including machine translation and analytics platforms. To thrive in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), LSPs need to redefine themselves as technology companies rather than just service providers.

By  Pham Hoa Hiep The author argues that — in the age of artificial intelligence — translators can survive and thrive by utilizing technology to boost efficiency and embracing new roles as linguistic architects, curators of meaning, and cultural mediators.

By  Tim Brookes   The author argues that writing by hand (versus typing) leads to increased learning, greater creativity, and even better health — benefits that we are in danger of losing in our haste to adopt digital tools.

We speak with Karen Decker (Association of Language Companies) about the industry’s visibility gap, ALC’s advocacy work, and AI as a tool that still requires human oversight. They unpack “language access as a right,” compliance and funding realities, and what to expect from the ALC Summit in New Orleans.

Acolad Netherlands GM Nancy Hähnel breaks down defense-sector localization: multilingual intelligence, vetted linguists, AI-assisted translation, and strict NATO/EU/national compliance—plus how teams balance speed, scale, and accuracy for mission-critical work.

Gabriel Karandyšovský previews “Global Ambitions: Revolution in Motion,” a five-article sampler. He digs into making AI actually ship through better infrastructure, why incremental wins outlast hype, localization’s “plumber” reality, treating translation as a product feature, and the skills next-gen leaders need across product, UX, growth, and data.

On July 3, 2025, at Translated’s unique “PI Campus” in Rome—eight luxury villas retrofitted into pools‑and‑massages‑equipped offices—The Translated team kicked off Project DVPS (Diversibus Vis Plurima Solvo). Backed by a €29 million EU grant, DVPES unites 70+ top AI researchers from EPFL, Oxford, ETH Zurich, FBK Trento and more to build the next generation of multimodal foundation models . By fusi...

Sébastien Bratières, Director of AI at Translated, outlines “DVPS”, a four-year EU project to build multimodal foundation models with partners including EPFL, Oxford, and ETH Zurich. We track why language tech must move beyond text to “physical AI,” integrating speech, video, handwriting, environment (satellite imagery), and cardiology data so models learn meaning from real-world context.

Amir Kamran and Amir Soleimani from Taus unpack Quality Estimation (QE) as the missing link between machine translation at scale and human-quality outcomes. They frame QE as an automated “second opinion” that flags what can ship, what needs a quick AI touch-up, and what should go to a linguist—shifting human effort to the tricky, high-risk bits. In this conversation, we explore where this matters...

Eddie Arrieta sits down with Craig Stewart, Director of AI Research at Phrase and one of the architects of the Comet machine-translation metric, to unpack the evolving definition of “quality” in global content. They explore why linguistic accuracy alone no longer suffices, how downstream signals like engagement and conversion should influence localization strategies, and what it takes to turn AI-d...

Interview by  Cameron Rasmusson In this interview, Giulia Greco discusses her decision to leave corporate localization management to become a consultant — a path that comes with uncertainty, but also offers freedom, agency, and new opportunities for impact.

By  Carol Velandia Executive Order 14224, signed in March 2025, declared English as the official language of United States federal agencies. The author calls for language service providers to publicly oppose the order and to become fierce advocates for language access policies and standards.

By  Lucía Gutiérrez Franco  and  Gabriela Kouahla The authors explain why mastering glossary creation and management — as well as leveraging the right translation tools — helps language professionals ensure accurate and consistent translations in an increasingly automated world.

A scathing critique of AI audiobook narration By  Yasir Tehsin The author argues that AI voices, in no matter the language, are sorry substitutes for humans when it comes to narrating audiobooks — asserting that they pose a threat to the future of literature.

The next evolution in global content creation By  Jorge Russo dos Santos  and  Agustín Da Fieno Delucchi Unlike traditional localization, which adapts content from a source language, a new methodology developed by Trilogica Global simultaneously creates content in multiple languages and cultural contexts. The authors argue that this approach represents not just an incremental improvement in locali...

Georg Ell, CEO of Phrase, sits down with us to reveal how he’s steering Phrase’s culture, vision, and platform through a period of rapid industry change. He shares his playbook for leading with transparency and optimism, explains why Phrase is evolving beyond TMS into a truly multidimensional content platform, and lays out his belief that localization will become a core growth engine rather than a...

Simone Boonenberger, Chief Product Officer at Phrase, unveils how Phrase’s AI-first localization platform drives hyper-automation and hyper-personalization. Learn about their no-code Orchestrator, next-gen MT and Auto Adapt features, and the QPS + Auto LQA quality framework that ensures enterprise-grade reliability. Simone also shares Phrase’s use-case–driven AI research model, customer-embedded d...

We welcome Veronica Hylak, and Bridget Hylak, to talk about their article “10 Best Language Technology Products of the Year” and explain why these tools could upend traditional pricing. They break down the three-tier framework (raw AI output, creative, highly technical) and the 30-point scoring system across five weighted criteria they applied—sharing the full methodology behind how they narrowed...

By  Katie Botkin In the United States, global business is precarious due to the Trump Administration’s fluctuating tariffs and unpopular foreign policies. Two leaders in the American language sector weigh in on the impacts of tariff uncertainty, emerging budget constraints, and targeted consumer action.

How global brands transcend cultural borders By  Giovanna Patruno Global brand storytelling lies at the intersection of linguistics, cultural anthropology, and marketing strategy. Success requires more than just good translation; it demands a deep understanding of how languages shape perception and how stories resonate across cultural boundaries.

By  John Yunker A web globalization consultant describes the top five most common website and app localization mistakes to avoid in order to increase user engagement and create a positive user experience. These include underlocalization, overlocalization, and use of inappropriate photographs.

By  Dominique Bohbot Quebec is often regarded as the birthplace of artificial intelligence (AI). This article explores AI’s effects on the language industry in Canada and features an interview with the Quebec AI Institute (Mila)’s interim scientific director, Laurent Charlin.

A unique model combining technology and quality By  Dominique Bohbot As a special operating agency, the Translation Bureau supports the Canadian government in its efforts to serve citizens in both official languages, as well as indigenous, foreign, and sign languages. This article discusses the organization’s important role in Canada and highlights its vision for the future.

How regulation drives demand for language services By  Dominique Bohbot This article provides an overview of Canada’s regulatory environment surrounding language. The author explains the importance of bilingualism in Canada and illustrates how various laws impact education, business, and demand for translation and interpretation.