Welcome to the LOCANUCU blog, your source for localization news you can actually use. In our July 16, 2025 roundup, we're tracking a pivotal story from the public sector as the US Department of Justice signals a major shift towards AI translation for certain services. We'll also cover significant technology advancements, including Switzerland's new sovereign LLM and Gmail's smarter translation features. Plus, we have the latest on key industry appointments at XTM, a major linguistic AI adoption by AGCO, and event announcements from ELIA that you won't want to miss.
- The US Department of Justice is advising federal agencies to cut costs on 'non-essential' language services.
- The US DOJ has also expressed support for using AI translation for certain government use cases.
- A Swiss consortium has launched "CHai," a large language model for Switzerland’s national languages.
- CHai is trained in German, French, Italian, and Romansh, focusing on Swiss linguistic nuances.
- Gmail is rolling out a new AI-powered contextual translation feature on its mobile apps.
- The Gmail feature aims to provide more accurate translations by analyzing conversational context.
- XTM International has appointed Sara Basar as its new Chief Technology Officer.
- Agricultural machinery company AGCO has adopted RWS's Evolve linguistic AI solution.
- The RWS Evolve implementation at AGCO is intended to improve global content consistency.
- Terra Translations has rebranded and is now known as Terra Lingua.
- TransPerfect has installed new, prominent signage at its facility in Pune, India's EON IT Park.
- Stefan Huyghe of RWS questions why the language industry undervalues its translation memories as labeled data.
- Arthur Wetzel of XTM describes LangOps as the 'hidden power grid' for digital enterprises.
- ELIA will hold its Networking Days event in Prague from October 9-11, 2025.
- The call for proposals for Elia Together 2025 in Rome is now open.
- ProZ.com is continuing its engagement with the freelance community on the topic of AI in translation.
- Community discussions are highlighting the importance of responsible and ethical AI use in localization.
- Jourik Ciesielski shared insights on the distinctions between translation, localization, and globalization.
- An article explains the essential function of a pivot interpreter for rare language combinations in conferences.
- The name change to Terra Lingua reflects the company's growth into a broader range of language services.
The intersection of government policy and artificial intelligence is a major focus today. The US Department of Justice has issued guidance urging federal agencies to reduce spending on what it deems "non-essential" language services. Alongside this cost-cutting recommendation, the DOJ is also backing the increased use of AI-powered translation for specific applications. This development signals a potentially significant shift in government procurement and could reshape the landscape for language service providers working on public sector contracts, prioritizing machine translation in certain contexts.
On the technology development front, Switzerland has introduced its own large language model named "CHai." Developed by a consortium that includes the University of Bern, SUPSI, the Idiap Research Institute, and TextShuttle, this model is specifically trained to handle the country's multilingual nature, supporting German, French, Italian, and the minority language, Romansh. The project emphasizes capturing the unique linguistic nuances and cultural contexts of Switzerland, a move that highlights a growing trend towards sovereign AI and specialized language models.
In consumer-facing technology, Gmail users on Android and iOS will soon see a new AI-powered contextual translation feature. The update aims to move beyond literal, word-for-word translations to provide more accurate and natural-sounding results by better understanding the surrounding conversation. This is part of a broader industry push to make machine translation more nuanced and context-aware for everyday users.
Reflecting on the value of the data that powers these AI systems, Stefan Huyghe of RWS raised a critical point about the language industry's high-quality labeled data. He noted the irony that while other industries pay significant amounts for labeled data to train AI, the localization sector often gives away its most valuable asset—translation memories—and questions whether the industry should re-evaluate the value proposition of this data.
There are also key leadership changes and corporate developments. XTM International has announced the appointment of Sara Basar as its new Chief Technology Officer. In her new role, Basar will be responsible for steering the company's technology strategy and fostering innovation within its suite of translation management solutions. In another strategic discussion, Arthur Wetzel, also from XTM, published an article describing Language Operations, or LangOps, as the essential "hidden power grid" for the modern digital enterprise, arguing it provides the fundamental infrastructure needed for successful global content strategies.
In a major adoption of linguistic AI, agricultural equipment manufacturer AGCO has chosen to implement RWS's Evolve solution. This partnership aims to streamline AGCO's localization workflows, enhancing the quality and consistency of its multilingual content delivered to a global customer base.
We also see movement in company branding. Terra Translations has officially rebranded to become Terra Lingua. The company stated that the new name better reflects its expanded scope of services which now go well beyond translation to encompass a wider range of language solutions. And demonstrating its continued global expansion, TransPerfect has unveiled prominent new signage on its facility in Pune, India. Located in the EON IT Park, a major technology hub, this move underscores the company's significant and growing presence in the region.
Looking ahead at industry events, the European Language Industry Association, or ELIA, has announced that its next Networking Days will be held in Prague, Czech Republic, from October 9th to 11th, 2025. Additionally, the call for proposals is now open for Elia Together 2025, which will take place in Rome. Diego Cresceri has been actively encouraging professionals to submit their speaking proposals for this key industry gathering.
Finally, a few items from community discussions provide valuable context. ProZ.com continues to foster discussions around the role of AI for freelance translators. Another post from Jourik Ciesielski serves as a useful reminder of the important distinctions between translation, localization, internationalization, and globalization. And the "Localize Like a Pro" community has been emphasizing the need for responsible AI implementation, touching on crucial topics like data privacy, ethics, and quality assurance. On a practical note for conference interpreters, an article is circulating that explains the vital role of a pivot interpreter, who becomes essential for relaying interpretations between rare language combinations when no direct channel is available.
That's a wrap on today's news. We've seen how government policy from the US DOJ could accelerate AI adoption, while new technologies like the Swiss "CHai" LLM show a drive for more specialized models. Key moves from industry leaders like RWS, XTM, and TransPerfect highlight ongoing growth and strategic shifts. As we've discussed, from the valuation of our data to the operational importance of LangOps and upcoming events in Prague and Rome, the industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Thanks for reading the LOCANUCU blog, where we help you connect the dots in the world of localization.