TL;DR
- RWS CEO Benjamin Faes calls for a strategic rethink of content and language in response to the AI revolution.
- Acolad's CEO highlights industry disruption and the critical need for agility, efficiency, and trust.
- Translated launches its new LARA AI model, showing quality improvements of up to 46% in 50 languages.
- Huawei is advancing a hybrid approach to AI translation, combining multiple technologies.
- New research from WeLocalize and Data AI demonstrates how bilingual prompts can assess LLM performance.
- A UK minister has pledged to improve court interpreting services amidst threats of a strike by interpreters.
- Interpreters Unlimited has introduced a new Language Access Plan service to help organizations ensure compliance.
- A professional translator shares a perspective that AI is a tool that changes, rather than replaces, their work.
- Terra Localizations emphasizes the importance of understanding cultural nuances in Brazilian Portuguese game localization.
- Research from AppTek and a University of Cambridge researcher stresses the importance of prosody for realistic AI dubbing.
- Lionbridge details why companies require specialized AI training services to ensure high-quality data.
- Acolad announces its upcoming "Tech Talks" event to be held in Dublin.
- InText Translation Company discusses key considerations for selecting languages for game localization.
- The AI LOC Think Tank explores the challenge of correlating different AI quality evaluation metrics.
- An industry analysis calls for rethinking professional endorsement and regulation in the age of AI.
- Registration is now open for the WLGC: Brand Global, Adapt Local conference.
- The 11th Linguistic Education Online (LEO) conference has been officially announced.
- CSA Research provides insights on aligning AI with a comprehensive localization strategy.
- Attendees of the TAUS Dublin event are sharing key takeaways on multilingual AI and localization.
- A new blog post from Polilingua explores the concept of LangOps as the future of localization operations.
- Version 4.1 of the Taigr plugin for localization professionals is now available.
- An analysis by Ivan Kuryanov explains how AI translation can revolutionize a company's global strategy.
Welcome to 'Localization News You can Use', Your Daily Dose of Localization Know‑How for June 6, 2025.
Here is a roundup of today's key developments from across the language industry.
Starting with industry leadership perspectives, the conversation around AI's role continues to mature. RWS CEO Benjamin Faes has emphasized the need to rethink content and language strategies in what he terms the "AI revolution." This sentiment is echoed by Acolad's CEO, Olivier Marcheteau, who recently reflected on the significant disruption facing the industry. Marcheteau stressed that agility, efficiency, and building trust are paramount for navigating the current landscape. This focus on operational excellence is becoming a core theme for language service providers adapting to new technological realities.
On the technology front, there have been several significant advancements in AI translation models. Translated announced its newest LARA model, which reportedly improves translation quality by up to 46% across 50 different languages. This highlights the rapid pace of improvement in machine translation capabilities. Similarly, Huawei is promoting a hybrid AI translation approach, suggesting that a combination of different AI methodologies can yield superior results.
Furthering the AI discussion, new research from WeLocalize and Data AI has explored the use of bilingual prompts to uncover performance differences in large language models, offering a new methodology for evaluating these complex systems. The AI LOC Think Tank has also contributed to this area by examining the correlation between various quality evaluation metrics, a crucial step for establishing reliable standards. In a practical application, a new version of the Taigr plugin, version 4.1, has been released, continuing to build out the toolset available to professionals.
The importance of high-quality data for these AI systems is also being underscored. Lionbridge has outlined key reasons why companies increasingly need AI training services, pointing to the necessity of well-curated data for effective model performance. This is complemented by insights from a researcher at the University of Cambridge, in collaboration with AppTek, who highlighted the critical need for AI dubbing to accurately capture prosody—the rhythm and intonation of speech—to achieve natural-sounding results.
From the human perspective, a translator shared their view on the profession's future, asserting that AI has not replaced them but rather changed the nature of their work. This aligns with a broader industry discussion about regulation and innovation, which calls for a re-evaluation of how professional endorsements and qualifications are handled in an era of AI and globalized workflows.
Shifting to the public sector, developments in the UK's court interpreting services are drawing attention. A UK minister has promised improvements following threats of a strike by interpreters over working conditions and pay. This situation underscores the ongoing challenges in ensuring professional standards and fair compensation for linguists in critical public service roles.
In the services domain, Interpreters Unlimited has launched a new Language Access Plan service. This offering is designed to help organizations develop comprehensive strategies to meet the needs of limited-English-proficient communities, ensuring compliance and effective communication.
Looking at market-specific insights, Terra Localizations published a piece on the cultural nuances of localizing games for Brazilian Portuguese, reminding us of the deep cultural knowledge required for successful global products. InText Translation Company also weighed in on game localization, posing key questions about which languages developers should prioritize for maximum impact.
Finally, the industry is gearing up for several events. Acolad is hosting its Tech Talks in Dublin, bringing together professionals to discuss technology and innovation. Registration is open for the WLGC: Brand Global, Adapt Local conference, which will focus on strategies for international branding. And looking ahead, the 11th conference from Linguistic Education Online has also been announced, promising further opportunities for learning and networking. Discussions from the recent TAUS Dublin event are also circulating, with attendees sharing insights on multilingual AI and the future of localization.
Thank you for listening to this episode of 'Localization News You can Use', Your Daily Dose of Localization Know‑How.