Podcasts about Machine translation

Rong Yan, CTO of HeyGen, joins SlatorPod to recount the company's transformation from a Metaverse-focused startup to leading the emerging field of AI video generation.Rong recounts HeyGen's beginnings and the pivot to its current avatar model, which saw ARR go from zero to USD 1m within six months.Rong attributes HeyGen's success to its emphasis on three key elements: quality, consistency, and controllability. The company's newest model, Avatar IV, enables full-body video generation with natural gestures, synchronized audio, and emotion to speech.While some of the platform's growth has been viral, Rong believes sustained success comes from building something users truly value, with a focus on pushing video quality from 70% to 95%.The platform extends beyond avatars, offering translation, voice cloning, and real-time interactivity. Its dynamic duration feature adjusts translated speech to fit original video timing, preserving realism. Rather than build everything from scratch, HeyGen integrates external models with its own orchestration and user data, optimizing output across languages and contexts.Rong emphasized that HeyGen's long-term vision is not entertainment or Hollywood, but helping everyday professionals, especially marketers and educators, who lack traditional video production skills.Looking ahead, Rong sees video agents, tools that generate complete videos from simple prompts, as the next frontier, driving accessibility and transforming storytelling through AI.

Véronique Özkaya, Co-CEO of DATAmundi, returns to SlatorPod for round 2 to talk about the company's strategic rebrand and how it is positioning itself as a key player in the data-for-AI space.Véronique details her journey to leading DATAmundi, formerly known as Summa Linguae, where she now drives a strategic shift from traditional language services to AI-focused data enablement.The Co-CEO explains that their LSP background makes them well-suited to offer fine-tuning services for AI, especially in multilingual and domain-specific contexts. However, she cautions that language expertise alone isn't enough; deep tech infrastructure, data science capabilities, and the ability to quickly build custom workflows are also essential.While many companies still rely on crowd-sourced, basic annotation, DATAmundi targets higher-complexity projects requiring domain experts and linguists. Véronique notes the market for data-for-AI is growing significantly faster than traditional LSP work and sees a second wave of demand from enterprises needing to adapt pre-trained models.Véronique highlights data scarcity, hallucination, and bias as core AI challenges that DATAmundi tackles through technical solutions and expert guidance, helping enterprises as they face pressure to implement AI despite legacy systems and unclear strategies.Looking ahead, DATAmundi plans to expand its consultative services through further acquisitions, focusing not on tech per se, but on organizations that deepen its expertise in data application and AI deployment.

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, with DeepL becoming the first third-party translation app users can set as default on the iPhone, a position gained by navigating Apple's developer requirements that others like Google Translate have yet to meet.Florian and Esther examine RWS's mid-year trading update, which triggered a steep 40% share price drop despite stable revenue, healthy profits, and manageable debt.On the partnerships front, the duo covers multiple collaborations: Acclaro and Phrase co-funded a new Solutions Architect role, Unbabel entered a strategic partnership with Acclaro, and Phrase partnered with Clearly Local in Shanghai. Also, KUDO expanded its network with new partners, while Deepdub was featured in an AWS case study for its work with Paramount. Wistia partnered with HeyGen to launch translation and AI-dubbing features and Synthesia joined forces with DeepL, further cementing the trend of avatar-based multilingual video content.In Esther's M&A corner, MotionPoint acquired GetGloby to enhance multilingual marketing capabilities, while OXO and Powerling merged to form a transatlantic LSP leader. TransPerfect deepened its media footprint with two studio acquisitions from Technicolor, and Magna Legal Services continued its acquisition spree with Basye Santiago Reporting.Meanwhile, in funding, Linguana, an AI dubbing startup targeted at YouTube creators, raised USD 8.5m, and pyannoteAI secured EUR 8m to enhance multilingual voice tech using speaker diarization. The episode concluded with speculation about DeepL's rumored IPO, which could have broader implications for capital markets.

John Worne, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL), joins SlatorPod to discuss CIOL's mission to support and promote language professionals and the value of languages for the public good through professional standards, advocacy, and intercultural understanding.John highlights the challenges of applying AI in high-stakes contexts like court interpreting. He references the UK House of Lords inquiry into language services in the legal system, which emphasized the risks of AI, particularly for low-resource languages and nuanced human communication. He warns that casual, unsupervised AI use in public services risks serious harm without proper oversight.The CEO describes the industry's current AI experience as mixed. While late 2024 saw falling workloads and experimentation by clients with generative AI, early 2025 brought a more stable picture, with some freelancers regaining lost business. Still, the community remains divided: about half of CIOL's members embrace AI tools, while the rest resist them, concerned about quality and trust.John raises questions about AI's influence on how we use and shape language. He notes how generative AI introduces patterns into the linguistic mainstream, creating an "AI-mediated average" that may dilute cultural identity. He argues that language is a “human meta skill”, encoding not only communication but identity, culture, and belonging. Looking ahead, John is cautiously optimistic for the next generation of linguists, as digital natives may be more adept at using AI creatively and multitasking across tools. CIOL plans to expand free resources and community engagement in 2025, ensuring that the future of language work remains inclusive, ethical, and informed by real human insight.

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, breaking down Slator's 2025 Language Service Provider Index (LSPI), which features nearly 300 LSPs and reports 6.6% combined growth in 2024 revenues, totaling USD 8.4bn.Florian touches on a surprise USD 10m donation from private equity executive Mario Giannini to launch a new MA translation and interpreting program at California State University, Long Beach. The duo talks about McKinsey's State of AI report, which continues to classify translators as AI-related roles and shows that hiring them has become slightly easier.In Esther's M&A corner, TransPerfect announced two acquisitions, Technicolor Games and Blue Digital Group, further expanding its presence in gaming and media localization. In Israel, BlueLion and GATS merged to form TransNarrative, and Brazilian providers Korn Translations and Zaum Langs joined forces under the Idlewild Burg group.Meanwhile, in funding, Teleperformance invested USD 13m in Sanas, a startup offering real-time accent translation for call centers to improve global communication. Lingo.dev raised USD 4.2m, while Dubformer secured USD 3.6m to develop the ‘Photoshop of AI dubbing'.Florian shares insights from Slator's 2025 Localization Buyer Survey, which found that over half of buyers want strategic AI support from vendors and many cite inefficient automation as a key challenge.

Joe Corkery, MD, CEO and Co-Founder of Jaide Health, joins SlatorPod to discuss how Jaide Health is driving medical interpreting and translation with AI, bridging communication gaps for limited English proficiency (LEP) patients and improving healthcare accessibility.With a background in computer science, medicine, and AI product leadership at Google, Joe co-founded Jaide Health with Julie Wilner, RN, in 2023 to address a long-standing need for real-time, interactive communication for the LEP patient population.Unlike older machine translation models, which worked sentence by sentence without context, Joe shares how generative AI can maintain coherence, track gender references, and infer meaning from prior context — crucial in medical settings.The CEO remains pragmatic about Trump's executive order designating English as the US's official language and revoking previous language access mandates. He argues that such policies will not change the healthcare industry's commitment to multilingual patient care but may push hospitals to seek more cost-effective solutions — potentially accelerating AI adoption.Looking ahead, Jaide Health is focusing on expanding into document translation, particularly for discharge instructions and patient portal messaging, areas where current solutions are slow or impractical.

Welcome to today's AI Lawyer Talking Tech. In this episode, we'll explore the latest developments at the intersection of law and artificial intelligence. From the courtroom to the boardroom, AI is rapidly reshaping the legal landscape, presenting both unprecedented opportunities and complex challenges. We will discuss topics ranging from emerging regulations and ethical considerations to the practical applications of AI tools in legal practice. Join us as we delve into the crucial conversations shaping the future of law in the age of AI.Preparing for a TikTok Ban: What Employers Should Do to Ensure Access to Crucial Information Before It Disappears11 Feb 2025Fox Rothschild LLPSome Good News for Hollywood Creators Suing AI Companies12 Feb 2025Yahoo! NewsLaw firm restricts AI after 'significant' staff use12 Feb 2025MSN United StatesLegal LinkedIn users report trolling and “sexual comments”12 Feb 2025Legal FuturesBeauty Is In The AI Of The Beholder11 Feb 2025Above The LawCourt: Training AI Model Based on Copyrighted Data Is Not Fair Use as a Matter of Law11 Feb 2025National Law ReviewRisk, Compliance, Data Privacy, and Regulatory Changes Named Top Concerns for Global Chief Legal Officers11 Feb 2025Legal ReaderCLE Takeaways: Top 10 Privacy & Cybersecurity Must-Knows for 202511 Feb 2025JD SupraMicrosoft's AI Security Warning: A Battle That Can't Be Won?11 Feb 2025Above The LawThe use of AI tools in Cayman Islands legal proceedings – warnings for litigants and attorneys11 Feb 2025JD SupraLegal fight against AI-generated child pornography is complicated. A legal scholar explains why11 Feb 2025Tech XploreBreaking: Federal Judge Rules Legal Research Startup ROSS Infringed Westlaw's Copyrights, Rejecting Fair Use Defense11 Feb 2025LawSitesVoting Is Closed, Results Are In: Here are the 15 Legal Tech Startups Selected for the 2025 Startup Alley at ABA TECHSHOW11 Feb 2025LawSitesElon Musk's surprise OpenAI bid reflects debate over the tech's future11 Feb 2025Yahoo! NewsHow GenAI is a catalyst for innovation and efficiency in law11 Feb 2025Thomson Reuters500,000 U.S. Lawyers Now Have Free Access to Trust Software through Bar Partnerships with Smokeball11 Feb 2025LawSitesSimpleDocs Launches SimpleAI, An AI-Powered Contract Review Tool with Customizable Playbooks (Plus Video Demo)11 Feb 2025LawSitesCopyright Or Copywrong? AI's Intellectual Property Conundrum11 Feb 2025Forbes.comAccess to Justice in 2025: What Does the Year Ahead Hold?11 Feb 2025SlawAI Regulation: Coming to a State Near You11 Feb 2025Taylor EnglishThe role of technology in modern civil litigation cases11 Feb 2025Business MoneyHow can we define ‘responsible AI' and turn it into action?11 Feb 2025TechHQ.comDeepSeek launch underlines value of news content to AI companies11 Feb 2025Press GazetteThe Fund XX's Gabriela Isturiz on AI, Scaling, and Empowering Women Entrepreneurs11 Feb 20253 Geeks and a Law BlogAI, Machine Translation, and Access to Justice11 Feb 2025Legaltech on MediumElite launches Validate for GenAI OCG guideline compliance11 Feb 2025Legal IT InsiderSmokeball Reaches Landmark Milestone, Empowering 500,000 U.S. Lawyers with Legal Tech Access11 Feb 2025Legal Technology News - Legal IT Professionals | Everything legal technologySmart Legal Contracts on Law Blocks AI11 Feb 2025Legaltech on MediumRaymond Blyd Calls It Quits on Legalcomplex + Sabaio11 Feb 2025Artificial LawyerGibson Dunn | Europe | Data Protection – January 202511 Feb 2025Gibson DunnScott Seaman Addresses a 2025 Cyber Insurance Landscape Confronting Growing AI Risks and Supply Chain Attacks11 Feb 2025Hinshaw & Culbertson LLPThe Colorado AI Act Shuffle: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back11 Feb 2025Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz PCAntitrust Compliance Programs: Worth Their Weight in Gold Under Any Administration11 Feb 2025Perkins Coie

Peter Reynolds, CEO of memoQ, joins SlatoPod to talk about the impact of AI on translation technology and how memoQ is enhancing its tools to meet the changing needs of enterprises, LSPs, and translators.Discussing AI, Peter recounts memoQ's response to the rise of generative AI, leading to the launch of memoQ AGT (Adaptive Generative Translation). By providing contextual data to LLMs, they replicated the advantages of custom machine translation without extensive training.The CEO acknowledges industry concerns about AI replacing human translators but argues that expert linguists remain essential. He compares this shift to software development, where AI tools enhance, rather than replace, skilled professionals.Peter discusses memoQ's acquisition of Globalese, explaining how its on-premise AI translation capabilities strengthen memoQ's offerings for high-security industries like banking and life sciences.On the product side, Peter teases upcoming developments, including a fully revamped web interface and research into handling larger translation segments beyond the traditional sentence-level approach. 

Florian and Esther, along with Slator Head of Research, Anna Wyndham, discuss the language industry and AI news of the week, with findings from Anthropic's recent research on Claude's usage. The analysis of over 4 million conversations revealed a surprising fact about how people use AI for translation.Turning to YouTube, Florian discussed CEO Neal Mohan's statement that AI dubbing is among the platform's "big bets" for 2025.In a spree of AI announcements, Deepgram unveiled its Nova-3 speech-to-text model for enterprise use and Panjaya launched Pod Pro, an AI-powered multilingual sync tool. Meanwhile, Adobe expanded Firefly to include language capabilities, and Centific launched FLOW, an enterprise-grade AI solution.In Esther's M&A and funding corner, Lingopal secured USD 14m in funding to enhance real-time multilingual broadcasting, focusing on sports and live events, and TransPerfect acquired Apostroph Group to solidify its position in the DACH region.Anna discussed Meta's Language Technology Partner Program, which aims to improve AI for low-resource languages and preserve linguistic diversity. The episode wrapped with Florian noting Supertext's rebranding and comparison with DeepL, where it claimed superior results in document-level translation quality.

Welcome to today's episode of "AI Lawyer Talking Tech," where we explore the rapidly evolving intersection of law and technology. The legal field is currently experiencing significant changes driven by advancements in artificial intelligence, and today we will delve into key issues including the complexities of AI regulation, data security, and intellectual property, as well as innovative uses of technology in legal practice. From the courtroom to the boardroom, AI's impact on the legal profession is undeniable, presenting both opportunities and challenges that require careful consideration. As the legal world adapts, we'll examine new solutions and the ethical questions that are emerging.Preparing for a TikTok Ban: What Employers Should Do to Ensure Access to Crucial Information Before It Disappears11 Feb 2025Fox Rothschild LLPSome Good News for Hollywood Creators Suing AI Companies12 Feb 2025Yahoo! NewsLaw firm restricts AI after 'significant' staff use12 Feb 2025MSN United StatesLegal LinkedIn users report trolling and “sexual comments”12 Feb 2025Legal FuturesBeauty Is In The AI Of The Beholder11 Feb 2025Above The LawCourt: Training AI Model Based on Copyrighted Data Is Not Fair Use as a Matter of Law11 Feb 2025National Law ReviewRisk, Compliance, Data Privacy, and Regulatory Changes Named Top Concerns for Global Chief Legal Officers11 Feb 2025Legal ReaderCLE Takeaways: Top 10 Privacy & Cybersecurity Must-Knows for 202511 Feb 2025JD SupraMicrosoft's AI Security Warning: A Battle That Can't Be Won?11 Feb 2025Above The LawThe use of AI tools in Cayman Islands legal proceedings – warnings for litigants and attorneys11 Feb 2025JD SupraLegal fight against AI-generated child pornography is complicated. A legal scholar explains why11 Feb 2025Tech XploreBreaking: Federal Judge Rules Legal Research Startup ROSS Infringed Westlaw's Copyrights, Rejecting Fair Use Defense11 Feb 2025LawSitesVoting Is Closed, Results Are In: Here are the 15 Legal Tech Startups Selected for the 2025 Startup Alley at ABA TECHSHOW11 Feb 2025LawSitesElon Musk's surprise OpenAI bid reflects debate over the tech's future11 Feb 2025Yahoo! NewsHow GenAI is a catalyst for innovation and efficiency in law11 Feb 2025Thomson Reuters500,000 U.S. Lawyers Now Have Free Access to Trust Software through Bar Partnerships with Smokeball11 Feb 2025LawSitesSimpleDocs Launches SimpleAI, An AI-Powered Contract Review Tool with Customizable Playbooks (Plus Video Demo)11 Feb 2025LawSitesCopyright Or Copywrong? AI's Intellectual Property Conundrum11 Feb 2025Forbes.comAccess to Justice in 2025: What Does the Year Ahead Hold?11 Feb 2025SlawAI Regulation: Coming to a State Near You11 Feb 2025Taylor EnglishThe role of technology in modern civil litigation cases11 Feb 2025Business MoneyHow can we define ‘responsible AI' and turn it into action?11 Feb 2025TechHQ.comDeepSeek launch underlines value of news content to AI companies11 Feb 2025Press GazetteThe Fund XX's Gabriela Isturiz on AI, Scaling, and Empowering Women Entrepreneurs11 Feb 20253 Geeks and a Law BlogAI, Machine Translation, and Access to Justice11 Feb 2025Legaltech on MediumElite launches Validate for GenAI OCG guideline compliance11 Feb 2025Legal IT InsiderSmokeball Reaches Landmark Milestone, Empowering 500,000 U.S. Lawyers with Legal Tech Access11 Feb 2025Legal Technology News - Legal IT Professionals | Everything legal technologySmart Legal Contracts on Law Blocks AI11 Feb 2025Legaltech on MediumRaymond Blyd Calls It Quits on Legalcomplex + Sabaio11 Feb 2025Artificial LawyerGibson Dunn | Europe | Data Protection – January 202511 Feb 2025Gibson DunnScott Seaman Addresses a 2025 Cyber Insurance Landscape Confronting Growing AI Risks and Supply Chain Attacks11 Feb 2025Hinshaw & Culbertson LLPThe Colorado AI Act Shuffle: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back11 Feb 2025Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz PC

I have a long history of using machine translation to help me read Japanese news stories, talk to fan bases online, and sometimes even play games. However, when you don't know the original language, it's hard to understand what impact these tools may have on how we interact with the Japanese language.I talked with Cargodin, a fan translator on games like Napple Tale and Blue Legend of Water, about how she views the English audience's relationship with the Japanese language as changing over the years.Cargodin's LinksCargodin's BlogTwitterBlueSkyTranslationsNapple Taleb.l.u.e. Legend of WaterLinda CubePlanet Laika

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, where they reviewed ElevenLabs' AI dubbing, on the back of a USD 3bn+ valuation. While they found the translation quality was strong, minor timing issues and lack of lip-syncing meant the output felt slightly unnatural.Esther then provided an update on M&A activity, where UK-based XTM International acquired US-based Transifex and DEMAN Übersetzungen expanded its presence in Germany by acquiring life sciences translation specialist German Language Services.Meanwhile, Sorensen Communications acquired Hand Talk, which uses AI-powered avatars for automated sign language translation, and OmniBridge, which employs computer vision to convert sign language into speech or text.Florian shared how experts received DeepSeek's AI translation capabilities, noting its strong Chinese-English performance and cost efficiency but highlighting skepticism over data security, domain-specific accuracy, and potential political bias​.The duo noted that ZOO Digital has joined Amazon Prime Video's Preferred Fulfillment Vendor Program, a positive development amid its recent market fluctuations and historically low share prices. Florian gave his thoughts on Meta's Ray-Ban glasses with live translation, noting their inconsistent performance with fast or quiet speech and questioning their usefulness for media consumption compared to traditional subtitles​.

Bryan Forrester, Co-founder and CEO of Boostlingo, returns to SlatorPod for round 2 to talk about the company's growth, the US interpreting market, and the evolving role of AI.Bryan shares how the company has tripled in size since he last appeared on the pod, driven by strategic acquisitions, including VoiceBoxer and Interpreter Intelligence, and a rebranding effort to unify its product portfolio.Bryan explains how Boostlingo balances innovation with practicality, ensuring that new features align with customer needs. He highlights the company's three-pronged strategy: retaining existing customers, enabling growth, and making long-term bets on emerging trends.While tools like real-time captions and transcription enhance efficiency, Bryan stresses that AI alone cannot replace human interpreters in complex industries like healthcare. He highlights privacy, compliance, and the nuanced expertise of human interpreters as critical factors, positioning AI as a supportive tool rather than a replacement.Bryan discusses market dynamics and regulatory changes, including how those under the new US administration could influence language access demand, particularly in areas like healthcare and public services. He describes Boostlingo's strategy of leveraging third-party AI models, optimizing them with proprietary data, and rigorously testing to ensure quality and reliability. Looking ahead, Boostlingo plans to expand internationally and integrate AI ethically and effectively into its offerings, guided by its newly formed AI Advisory Board.

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, focusing on Slator's latest M&A and Funding Report, which highlights over 50 mergers, acquisitions, and financial investments, and nearly 20 funding rounds in 2024.Florian discusses OpenAI's ChatGPT o1 model, praising its translation accuracy for complex texts like German legal documents, though he notes slower processing speeds and challenges with low-resource languages.In Esther's first M&A and funding corner for 2025, MotionPoint has acquired KeyContent, Synthesia has raised a USD 180m Series D, bringing its valuation to over USD 2bn, and Pocketalk raised USD 15.8m in funding, despite talks of a potential IPO last year.Florian talks about Acrolinx's leadership change, with Matt Blumberg becoming CEO and aiming to expand the AI-powered content governance platform's presence in the US market. DeepL launched its AI-powered speech-to-speech translation product, DeepL Voice, with NEC as its first enterprise client.Esther notes LinkedIn's ranking of “Interpreter” as the 22nd fastest-growing job in the UK, driven by demand across industries like localization, museums, and even zoos. Florian wraps up with AWS's latest guide on integrating translation memories with large language models to improve AI-driven translation workflows.

Welcome to another episode of memoQ talks! This time, host Balázs Kis sits down with special guest Gábor Bessenyei, the CEO of Globalese, to dive deep into the world of machine translation and localization. In this episode, we discuss the exciting new collaboration between Globalese and memoQ—two powerhouses in the language technology industry.Whether you're a translation professional, localization project manager, or just curious about the latest innovations in language tech, this episode has something for you. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from industry leaders and discover how this partnership could benefit your projects!https://memoq.com

In the 2024 year-end episode of SlatorPod, hosts Florian Faes and Esther Bond, along with guest Anna Wyndham, explore pivotal language industry trends from the past year and predictions for 2025.First, the language industry news of the week, with LXT's acquisition of clickworker, which aims to expand its AI data capabilities and potentially double revenues by 2025. Meanwhile, Esther shares how EzDubs, a speech translation startup, secured USD 4.2m in seed funding.Florian notes that RWS reported stable revenues for 2024, with GBP 180m coming from AI-driven products and services. He also highlights YouTube's AI dubbing rollout, unlocking new possibilities for multilingual content, though noting current limitations, like robotic voice quality.The trio discusses the UK House of Lords inquiry into court interpreting and translation, which raised concerns about interpreter pay, quality issues, and AI's role in quality assurance. Reflecting on 2024, Anna outlines three major trends: speech-to-speech translation, “translation as a feature,” where translation capabilities are integrated into everyday software like project management tools, and the evolution of localization roles toward AI-driven skills. Looking ahead, Anna predicts rapid AI adoption in the public sector due to cost constraints and scalability needs, while Florian anticipates further breakthroughs in machine translation quality estimation and potential IPOs in the language tech sector. Esther forecasts increased M&A activity as niche providers seek stability and scalability in a competitive environment. 

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, where they explore how AI is influencing content creation and translation, noting its progress and limitations. A recent study on GPT-4 revealed its ability to match junior translators but lag behind experienced professionals, particularly in nuanced contexts. Florian highlights the public's heightened perception of the risks of AI, such as OpenAI's Whisper, in critical sectors such as healthcare, where transcription errors and hallucinations can have severe implications.Esther delves into leadership transitions in the language industry, with notable appointments including Benjamin Faes, a tech veteran with experience at Google and AOL, as RWS' new CEO.Sorenson appointed Pajet Alves as CEO, while BLEND welcomed Yoav Ziv to lead after significant growth and acquisitions. Anna Albinsson took the helm at Gridly, with plans to expand beyond its gaming localization focus into MedTech and EdTech.In M&A and funding, Esther covers Teleperformance's acquisition of ZP Better Together for USD 490m, with plans to fold it into LanguageLine Solutions. Meanwhile, Writer.com raised USD 200m in Series C funding, to expand its generative AI capabilities.Florian discusses big tech developments, such as Microsoft's Translator Pro app for speech and document translation, while Amazon teased its "any-to-any" AI capabilities during the AWS re:Invent conference, hinting at future innovations in multilingual processing.Florian unpacks Straker Translations' financial results, which reflected industry trends of increased volumes but declining revenue, highlighting pricing pressures. Their new Verify.ai tool, designed to validate AI-generated translations, underscores the pivot toward technology.

What role does language play in shaping our world? How is AI transforming the way we connect across cultures? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I am joined by Olga Beregovaya, VP of AI and Machine Translation at Smartling, whose journey from a single mother at 21 to a trailblazer in language technology and AI is as compelling as it is inspiring. With over 25 years of experience in natural language processing (NLP), machine learning, and AI-driven transformation, Olga brings invaluable insights into the evolution of machine translation and the groundbreaking innovations shaping the localization industry. We discuss Olga's remarkable career trajectory, from her academic roots in structural linguistics to leading AI initiatives at Smartling. Learn how Smartling is leveraging its trademarked "Language AI" to revolutionize translation processes, enabling businesses to communicate globally with greater accuracy and cultural sensitivity. Olga shares her thoughts on the measured deployment of AI, addressing challenges like hallucinations in AI outputs, improving model accuracy, and redefining workflows for the modern workplace. The conversation also explores the broader trends in language technology, such as task-specific language models, unsupervised learning, and multi-modal advancements that integrate text, imagery, and even digital humans. Olga underscores the importance of data governance and the collaborative role linguists play in prompt engineering to ensure AI systems reflect diverse perspectives and maintain cultural authenticity. As a passionate advocate for women in STEM, Olga reflects on the progress and challenges facing women in technology, offering actionable insights for fostering diversity, mentorship, and representation in the industry. Her dedication to amplifying underrepresented voices in tech serves as a powerful call to action for listeners to build a more inclusive future. How can AI continue to bridge language and culture without losing the nuances that make us human? What role do you see yourself playing in this evolving narrative? Tune in to hear Olga's thoughts, and join the conversation by sharing your insights!

Charles Campbell, President of tbo., returns to SlatorPod for round 2 to talk about his efforts to unite and professionalize the language services industry in Latin America and the Caribbean through the association Juntos.Founded just before the pandemic, Juntos aims to raise standards in translation, interpreting, and localization by fostering collaboration, mentoring, and quality benchmarking. Despite challenges posed by the vast geography and diverse cultural landscape, the organization has seen significant growth, hosting conferences in Rio de Janeiro and Lima, with the next planned for Mexico City in 2025.Campbell sees immense potential in Latin America, noting its rich linguistic diversity and a growing pool of passionate professionals entering the field. While many countries in the region lack the established quality norms and associations found in Europe or North America, Juntos is actively working to close this gap. He also highlights the affordability of hosting events in the region, coupled with its cultural richness, as factors drawing increased international participation.Campbell addresses the role of AI in the industry, recognizing its strengths in high-resource languages like Spanish and Portuguese. He stresses that while AI is a valuable tool, human expertise remains essential, particularly in nuanced and culturally specific translations.As Latin America and the Caribbean continue to gain visibility in the language industry, Campbell remains optimistic. Through Juntos, he encourages stakeholders to collaborate, innovate, and embrace the region's unique opportunities.

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, with Slator's latest Translation as a Feature (TaaF) Report, which explores how AI translation is becoming an integral feature in enterprise technology.Florian talks about Reddit's success with machine translation (MT). By localizing content into French, the social media platform quadrupled daily active users in France, demonstrating the high ROI of investing millions in AI-driven localization each quarter.In an M&A corner, Esther discusses Wolfestone's acquisition of TauRho Transcribes, beefing up Wolfestone's offerings in transcription and life sciences. She also covers TransPerfect's fourth acquisition of 2024 with Plint selling its Netherlands-based media localization studio to the Super Agency.Esther highlights Panjaya.ai's USD 9.5m funding for BodyTalk, which perfects multilingual AI translation by synchronizing lip movements and gestures. Meanwhile, Neuphonic, a UK-based voice AI startup focused on ultra-low latency speech technology, has raised GBP 3m in pre-seed funding.Florian reviews major AI launches: Translated's Lara, a customizable large-scale AI-powered translation model, DeepL's "DeepL Voice", offering real-time speech-to-text capabilities, and Unbabel's Widn.AI, a platform offering advanced MT customization.

Christian Elongue, Managing Director of Ghana-based consulting firm and language service provider (LSP) Kabod Group, joins SlatorPod to share his insights into the African language services landscape, recounting his journey into language advocacy.Christian describes Kabod Group as a dual-purpose organization, offering translation services primarily to nonprofit clients, while advancing social impact projects for African language professionals with initiatives such as the Network of African Language Translators and Teachers (ALATT) and the Association of Language Companies in Africa (ALCA).Christian discusses the unique challenges of Africa's language landscape, which spans over 2,000 languages and requires localized solutions. He notes that demand varies widely across regions, with West Africa focused on French-English translation, East Africa on Swahili, and North Africa on Arabic. However, limited data and lack of standardization pose challenges for developing language technologies and machine translation for African languages.To address these gaps, Christian advocates for increased local investment in African language technology. He highlights projects like Masakhane, which develops datasets for low-resource languages but stresses the need for more African-led funding. Christian also urges international LSPs to support Africa's language industry by sharing resources and facilitating professional exchanges.Christian concludes the podcast with a call to action: empowering African languages is key to preserving cultural heritage and fostering economic growth.

Sijie Wei, Co-CEO of language services, technology, and game localization specialist EC Innovations (ECI), joins SlatorPod to talk about his new role as co-CEO and leading one of Asia's largest LSPs with revenues exceeding USD 50m in 2023.Sijie shares how ECI, initially focused on helping Western blue-chip firms enter China, expanded to assisting Chinese tech giants like Tencent and ByteDance in globalizing their products.Sijie highlighted the challenges of the Asia-Pacific market, where localization maturity still lags that of the US and Europe in certain verticals. However, he sees significant growth potential as industries like e-commerce, AI, and electric vehicles mature. Regarding language AI, Sijie pointed out that Chinese companies prefer to develop their own solutions, making the market highly competitive. ECI benefits from this research, applying cutting-edge advancements in AI to client projects. In game localization, Sijie continues to see substantial growth potential. He recognizes that localizing games from China to global markets and vice versa is equally challenging due to differences in player preferences, monetization methods, and cultural contexts.Sijie gave his insights on the investment landscape, noting that current market valuations are lower due to uncertainty around AI adoption across industries like localization.Sijie concluded by addressing the balance between AI and human expertise in localization, emphasizing that while AI can drive efficiency, human quality remains superior in many contexts.

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, with Slator's latest Pro Guide on Audiovisual Translation, which outlines opportunities for language service providers (LSPs) and how AI is impacting the field.In a language AI corner, Florian covers Alibaba's recent launch of a proprietary large language model (LLM) for translation, which will help expand the e-commerce giant's global reach. He also adds that Reddit has piloted machine translation (MT) for French content, a success that will see it roll out to more than 35 countries.Florian highlights NVIDIA's move into MT and transcription services, adding to the growing competition in AI-driven language solutions. He talks about Meta's AI-powered lip-sync dubbing for content creators, bringing AI into the social media space. The duo dive into OpenAI's advanced voice mode, which allows for real-time communication in multiple languages through ChatGPT. Esther notes its potential for consecutive interpreting, though simultaneous interpreting remains a challenge.Esther shares key takeaways from the recent AMTA conference in Chicago, noting that a key focus was how LLMs are influencing MT. She also discusses Propio's rapid expansion through its acquisitions of ULG, Akorbi, and ASL, making it one of the largest LSPs globally.Wrapping up, Esther discusses Gladia, an AI start-up specializing in real-time speech-to-text solutions, that recently raised USD 16m in Series A funding. 

Episode 140I spoke with Professor Jacob Andreas about:* Language and the world* World models* How he's developed as a scientistEnjoy!Jacob is an associate professor at MIT in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science as well as the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. His research aims to understand the computational foundations of language learning, and to build intelligent systems that can learn from human guidance. Jacob earned his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, his M.Phil. from Cambridge (where he studied as a Churchill scholar) and his B.S. from Columbia. He has received a Sloan fellowship, an NSF CAREER award, MIT's Junior Bose and Kolokotrones teaching awards, and paper awards at ACL, ICML and NAACL.Find me on Twitter for updates on new episodes, and reach me at editor@thegradient.pub for feedback, ideas, guest suggestions. Subscribe to The Gradient Podcast:  Apple Podcasts  | Spotify | Pocket Casts | RSSFollow The Gradient on TwitterOutline:* (00:00) Intro* (00:40) Jacob's relationship with grounding fundamentalism* (05:21) Jacob's reaction to LLMs* (11:24) Grounding language — is there a philosophical problem?* (15:54) Grounding and language modeling* (24:00) Analogies between humans and LMs* (30:46) Grounding language with points and paths in continuous spaces* (32:00) Neo-Davidsonian formal semantics* (36:27) Evolving assumptions about structure prediction* (40:14) Segmentation and event structure* (42:33) How much do word embeddings encode about syntax?* (43:10) Jacob's process for studying scientific questions* (45:38) Experiments and hypotheses* (53:01) Calibrating assumptions as a researcher* (54:08) Flexibility in research* (56:09) Measuring Compositionality in Representation Learning* (56:50) Developing an independent research agenda and developing a lab culture* (1:03:25) Language Models as Agent Models* (1:04:30) Background* (1:08:33) Toy experiments and interpretability research* (1:13:30) Developing effective toy experiments* (1:15:25) Language Models, World Models, and Human Model-Building* (1:15:56) OthelloGPT's bag of heuristics and multiple “world models”* (1:21:32) What is a world model?* (1:23:45) The Big Question — from meaning to world models* (1:28:21) From “meaning” to precise questions about LMs* (1:32:01) Mechanistic interpretability and reading tea leaves* (1:35:38) Language and the world* (1:38:07) Towards better language models* (1:43:45) Model editing* (1:45:50) On academia's role in NLP research* (1:49:13) On good science* (1:52:36) OutroLinks:* Jacob's homepage and Twitter* Language Models, World Models, and Human Model-Building* Papers* Semantic Parsing as Machine Translation (2013)* Grounding language with points and paths in continuous spaces (2014)* How much do word embeddings encode about syntax? (2014)* Translating neuralese (2017)* Analogs of linguistic structure in deep representations (2017)* Learning with latent language (2018)* Learning from Language (2018)* Measuring Compositionality in Representation Learning (2019)* Experience grounds language (2020)* Language Models as Agent Models (2022) Get full access to The Gradient at thegradientpub.substack.com/subscribe

Gregor and Olivera Rosulnik, Co-founders of Slovenia-based language service provider GORR, join SlatorPod to discuss their journey into the language industry, the challenges they faced, and the strategies they've employed to grow their business.Gregor and Olivera share how they initially targeted Slovenian companies, especially startups and scaleups, and after adjusting their focus, expanded internationally to also work with government entities and large corporations.The duo highlights their use of AI tools to enhance their language services, noting the improvements in machine translation quality over the years. However, they acknowledge the perception challenges posed by AI, where clients might erroneously assume that translation is a completely automated process.Gregor emphasizes the importance of resilience and adaptation, noting that ‘crises' like ChatGPT are a natural part of business and that success often depends on how well a company can navigate through them.Discussing their approach to vendor management, Olivera emphasizes the importance of recommendations and personal interactions in building a reliable network of qualified linguists.Looking forward, Gregor and Olivera aim to grow sustainably by focusing on quality service, nurturing client relationships, and integrating new technologies, all while maintaining their core values and commitment to communication.

Shamus Sayed, COO of Interpreters Unlimited, and Anna Wyndham, Slator's Head of Research, join SlatorPod to discuss key findings from the 2024 ALC Industry Survey Report, covering industry growth, profitability, service diversification, and the impact of AI.Shamus kicks off the podcast by explaining the origins and purpose of the Association of Language Companies (ALC) and its annual survey, which aims to establish industry standards and measure the value added by language service companies.Anna shares details about the survey, which saw a 50% increase in participation from last year, with 127 companies taking part. Participants mainly consisted of small to mid-sized companies, with a significant portion coming from the US. Shamus provides insights specific to interpreting services, noting strong revenue growth and the rise of remote interpreting. He discusses the impact of AI, challenges in sourcing skilled interpreters, and pricing trends.Anna highlights that companies are focused on growing revenue, developing new service offerings, and cutting operational costs. She also discusses the heightened interest in M&A activity, with smaller companies more interested in selling, while larger ones remain opportunistic buyers.Shamus recaps the ALC annual summit in Montreal, highlighting the camaraderie, networking, and potential business opportunities that arose from the event.Looking ahead to 2025, Shamus shares that the ALC aims to focus on AI integration, workforce development, service diversification, and M&A support.

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, where they give their impressions from SlatorCon Silicon Valley and touch upon the findings from the 2024 ALC Industry Survey.In a significant funding update, Esther reports that Smartcat raised USD 43m in a Series C round, bringing their total funding to USD 70m. This funding will support product innovation in AI translation and multilingual content generation.Florian talks about YouTube's potential launch of AI dubbing, a feature in testing that aims to generate translated audio tracks for videos, significantly enhancing content accessibility and engagement.In Esther's M&A corner, Cloudbreak, now rebranded as Equiti, acquired its competitor Voyce and brought on a new private equity partner, Heritage Group. Meanwhile, EasyTranslate acquired World Translation, expanding its reach in the Nordic and DACH regions.The duo bid farewell to publicly traded Keywords Studios, which is delisting after being acquired by private equity firm EQT. They also note the shutdown of Viva Translate, a speech-to-speech translation company that will open-source its tools as it winds down.

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, with key highlights from the latest Slator Pro Guide: The Future of Language Industry Jobs. The guide focuses on the future of jobs and freelance opportunities in the language industry, noting the impact of AI on employment trends.The duo analyze the 2024 Inc. 5,000 list, which includes 14 LSPs this year, with companies like PGLS, Propio Language Services, and Boostlingo among the highest-ranked, demonstrating strong growth over the past three years.In other industry news, amid a rocky Q2 2024, AMN Healthcare Services reported an 18% year-on-year increase in revenue for its language services division, driven by strong utilization of video interpretation.Florian addresses a recent content hack involving media localizer Iyuno, where unreleased Netflix shows were leaked online, underscoring the importance of security and confidentiality in the industry.Esther touches on recent labor strikes affecting the game localization and dubbing sectors, driven by the Screen Actors Guild's action. Keywords Studios also announced layoffs of linguists in Italy, sparking a linguist strike and highlighting ongoing tensions between AI and human talent in localization. The podcast concludes with Esther's M&A and funding corner, including Translate.One's acquisition of Intertext and funding rounds for Language I/O and Bering Lab, signaling continued investment and growth in the language industry.

Chapters00:00 Recap of Part 100:28 The Challenges of Machine Translation in Healthcare03:47 The Importance of Qualified Interpreters and Translators04:16 Testing Bilingual Clinical Staff for Fluency in Clinical Terminology08:57 Barriers and Challenges in Implementing Language Access Policies13:42 Reviewing Clinical Algorithms for Bias in Patient Care21:06 The Potential of AI in Healthcare Decision-Making ABOUT CARLACarla is a visionary leader in the healthcare industry, known nationally for her pioneering work in medical interpreting, language access, and health disparities. As the System Director of Diversity Initiatives, Interpreter Services, and ADA/504 and Section 1557 Coordinator for Steward Health Care, she oversaw language access services for 42 hospitals and over 600 physician practices in 11 different states.Carla's impressive career spans over three decades, beginning as a registered nurse in 1988. She was one of twelve individuals who helped to draft the International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA) Standards of Practice in 1995, a milestone achievement in the field of medical interpreting. Additionally, she was part of an advisory committee for the MA DPH that created the Best Practice Recommendations for hospital-based Interpreter Services in 2001.Carla's specialized proficiency in conducting mock surveys and gap analyses, with a keen emphasis on Joint Commission and DNV Standards, has consistently steered numerous hospitals towards successful accreditation. Her extensive experience in this domain not only ensures compliance but also enhances operational efficiency and patient care standards. Furthermore, Carla is a distinguished national presenter on topics such as disabilities, diversity, and language access, contributing significantly to the advancement of inclusive healthcare practices nationwide.In 2003, Carla founded the Forum of the Coordination of Interpreter Services (FOCIS) as a collaborative platform for hospital and clinic-based interpreter programs to share best practices and resources. Originally established as a Massachusetts-based group, FOCIS has since expanded to nationwide membership. She has served as President of FOCIS and President and Vice President of the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC). Carla is also a founding member of Interpreting SAFE-AI Taskforce-Stakeholders- “Advocating for fair and Ethical AI in Interpreting.”Carla's exceptional leadership has earned her numerous accolades, including the Healthcare Hero award from the Boston Business Journal in 2015. She continues to be a highly sought-after national consultant on language access, health disparities, disabilities, and regulatory requirements for hospitals.   ABOUT KERRYKerry Perez leads the design and development of enterprise strategy in addition to overseeing Marketing, Corporate Communications, and Creative Services.Ms. Perez joined AMN Healthcare in 2007 and has held various roles during her tenure, including recruitment, marketing, innovation, strategy, and M&A. She most recently served as the company's Vice President of Enterprise Strategy. She also stood up AMN Healthcare's Diligence and Integration Management Office, which led the strategic and functional integration of new acquisitions to drive synergy. She was named among Staffing Industry Analyst's Top 40 Under 40 in 2001, and she hosts the AMN Healthcare podcast, Elevate Care.Ms. Perez maintains the guiding principles of being customer obsessed, thinking big and delivering results. She has a passion for mentoring emerging leaders and building effective teams.Ms. Perez holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from the University of California at Santa Barbara. For more than four years, she has served on the board of Dallas-based nonprofit, CitySquare, which focuses on fighting the causes and effects of poverty.  ABOUT THE SHOWElevate Care delves into the latest trends, thinking, and best practices shaping the landscape of healthcare. From total talent management to solutions and strategies to expand the reach of care, we discuss methods to enable high-quality, flexible workforce and care delivery. We will discuss the latest advancements in technology, the impact of emerging models and settings, physical and virtual, and address strategies to identify and obtain an optimal workforce mix. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders focused on improving healthcare quality, workforce well-being, and patient outcomes. Learn more about the show: https://www.amnhealthcare.com/campaign/elevate-care-podcast/ FIND US ONWebsite – https://www.amnhealthcare.com/podcast/elevate-care-podcast/YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@ElevateCarePodcastSpotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/5R2oWLZXYfjtPGW7o5KpuoApple – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevate-care/id1710406359Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amnhealthcare/LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/amn-healthcare/X – https://twitter.com/amnhealthcare/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/amnhealthcare/ Powered by AMN Healthcare

Spence Green, CEO and Co-founder of LILT, the AI solution provider for enterprise translation, joins SlatorPod. On the podcast, Spence discusses the evolution of LILT's end-to-end platform, which integrates AI models with human verification to ensure quality standards.The CEO notes a significant shift in enterprise approaches towards localization, now being more software-driven rather than service-driven, which has been influenced by the broader adoption and focus on AI technologies post-ChatGPT.Spence emphasizes the importance of continuous training and customization of AI models to improve accuracy and efficiency in translation. He highlights how localization has emerged as an early winner to showcase the return on investment in AI.Spence addresses the impact of AI on the translation industry, including the potential for linguist shortages due to low rates driven by machine translation post-editing. He predicts that the market will eventually adjust, but in the meantime, there is a need for higher-skilled linguists to manage the gap left by AI models.The podcast concludes with insights into LILT's recent features, such as AI Analytics, which provide clients with deeper insights into the impact of AI on their localization processes. Spence also talks about the potential for multilingual content creation using AI, the challenges of segment-level interfaces, and the importance of workflow orchestration in localization.

Paul Ghio, Co-founder of AI video localization startup Supernative, joins SlatorPod to talk about how language AI is reshaping how we create and consume content globally.Paul shares how his passion for helping creators and his experience with internationalization at Shutterstock and Yelp led him to start Supernative, with a mission to democratize video localization using AI.The Co-founder outlines Supernative's technology stack, which includes well-known models like Whisper for speech-to-text, ChatGPT for translation, and ElevenLabs for speech generation. He highlights the importance of improving these core capabilities, such as voice cloning and lip-syncing, to deliver high-quality dubbing at a competitive cost. Paul discusses the current landscape and challenges of the AI localization market. He notes that while there is significant interest and potential in AI-driven localization, retaining users remains a challenge due to the novelty factor wearing off. He elaborates on Supernative's strategy to introduce collaborative features to better align with the workflows of content creators and businesses, which could be a more sustainable strategy for user retention and growth.Paul also touches on their long-term vision, including more comprehensive localization tools that cater to cultural and contextual nuances, and the possibility of localizing video content itself.

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, with a nearly USD 4m settlement involving Language Line Services and ongoing disputes in Canada, where freelance interpreters are protesting against unpaid breaks during debates.Florian highlights a YouTube video about UN simultaneous interpreting and the rigorous standards and working conditions for UN interpreters.Esther shares a significant procurement opportunity from the UK's Crown Commercial Service, which plans to issue a GBP 250m tender for various language services.In tech news, the duo talk about DeepL's new LLM launch that claims to outperform competitors in translation quality. They also touch on the trend of adding translation features to various SaaS platforms, like Airtable and Happy Scribe.A tweetstorm by venture capitalist Olivia Moore from Andreessen Horowitz introduces the concept of "AI Scribes," suggesting a significant market opportunity for AI-driven transcription services.In an M&A and funding corner, AI video startup Captions raised USD 60m at a USD 500m valuation and Mantra, a Japanese manga translation startup, raised nearly USD 5m. Toppan Digital Language acquired Austria's Meinrad and Universal Music Group partnered with SoundLabs AI for voice cloning and language transposition in songs.

João Graça, Co-founder and CTO of language operations platform Unbabel, joins SlatorPod to talk about the present and future of large language models (LLMs) and their broad impact across all things translation and localization.First, the CTO explains how Unbabel was founded to address language barriers for people using services like Airbnb, combining MT with human validation to improve translation quality.João believes that LLMs are quickly replacing neural MT models as much more R&D is going into LLMs vs NMT. He highlights that LLMs can handle more complex tasks like automatic post-editing, source correction, and cultural adaptation, which were previously difficult to achieve with traditional models.He also tells the backstory of the company's decision to develop TowerLLM. João shares how Unbabel's approach involves using open-source LLMs, fine-tuning them with multilingual data, and applying techniques like retrieval-augmented generation to improve translation quality in production settings.Despite the advancements, João acknowledges that human intervention is still necessary for high-stakes translation tasks.The podcast concludes with the hiring environment for AI talent and the future directions for LLM development, with João expressing optimism about the continued progress and potential of these models.

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, with a legal battle in the UK involving public sector interpreting and the classification of interpreters as freelancers or workers, which could significantly impact the business models of language service providers (LSPs).The duo explores Google Translate's recent expansion to support over 200 languages, adding 110 new ones using their large language model, Palm 2.Florian talks about the insolvency of Landexx, a German LSP, following a pattern of recent bankruptcies in the language service industry in Europe.Meanwhile, Keywords Studios, a major player in game localization, is set to be acquired by the private equity firm EQT, valuing the LSP at approximately USD 2.2 billion.Esther gives an M&A corner, including Translate.One's acquisition of Enable2 in the UK, Valorem Group's purchase of Ireland-based TRANSLIT, and difuze's acquisition of the accessibility division of Blackstone Sight and Sound in Canada. Additionally, Esther covers a pre-seed funding round by Dubme.io, a Spanish startup specializing in AI-powered dubbing.The podcast concludes with a discussion on the Interpreting SAFE AI Task Force, which has released guidelines for the ethical use of AI in interpreting, emphasizing the importance of maintaining quality, accountability, and transparency in the industry.

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Josh Goldsmith, Geek-In-Chief of techforword, joins SlatorPod to talk about his multiple roles as a linguist, conference interpreter, and educator.Josh shares his multifaceted background in linguistics and language teaching, highlighting his passion for language and education, which led him to co-found techforword.Josh explains the current landscape of conference interpreting, noting a shift back to on-site interpreting post-COVID, which he prefers due to better sound quality, easier access to documents, and the human connection it offers.He touches on the importance of personal branding for translators and interpreters, suggesting practical steps like professional email addresses, good headshots, and a strong LinkedIn presence.Josh delves into the practical applications of AI in interpreting, with AI tools for glossary management, terminology extraction, and preparation for interpreting assignments. He also stresses the ethical concerns of AI and the need for human interpreters to navigate cultural differences and ensure accurate communication.Josh discusses his various projects, including the AI Language Club, which offers tutorials on using AI for language learning. Looking ahead, Josh plans to focus on the AI in Translation Summit and the AI in Translation Bootcamp, which offer hands-on experiences with the latest AI tools.

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, giving a recap of SlatorCon London and exploring some use cases from the Slator Pro Guide: Language AI for Consumers.Florian talks about Andrew Ng's recent project on agentic machine translation, which involves using large language models (LLMs) to create a virtual language service provider (LSP).The duo touch on Apple's recent Worldwide Developer Conference, where Apple Watch is set to get a translation widget and also recently announced a new translation API.Florian shares RWS's half-year financial results, where despite declines in revenue, the company's stock rose by 20%, likely due to investor perception of AI-enabled services and new product offerings like Evolve and HAI gaining traction.Esther talks about DeepL's USD 300m funding round, which valued the company at USD 2bn, a testament to the growing interest in AI models. She also covers Unbabel's launch of TowerLLM, which claims to outperform competitors like Google Translate and DeepL.In Esther's M&A corner, Keywords Studios eyes a GBP 2.2bn deal from Swedish private equity firm EQT, Melbourne LSP Ethnolink buys Sydney-based competitor Language Professionals, and ZOO Digital acquires Italian dubbing partner LogoSound.Esther gives a nod to the positive financial performances of companies like ZOO Digital and AMN's language services division, with more mixed results for Straker.

Mike Dillinger, Ph.D. and Jay Marciano are two leading experts in machine translation (MT), LLMs, and AI in the localization industry.  Both have served as Presidents of the Association of Machine Translation for the Americas. Mike has held leading technical positions with large enterprises including LinkedIn, eBay, and Intel Labs.  Jay, on the other hand, has helped some of the world's largest LSPs, including SDL International and Lionbridge, to develop their MT strategies.In this episode, Mike and Jay talk about what types of tasks AI can do better than humans, how LLMs are evolving, knowledge graphs, the difference in how LSPs and enterprises view the application of LLMs,  how the day-to-day work of translators will change in the coming years, and more!

Georg Ell, CEO of Phrase, returns to SlatorPod for round 2 to talk about the accelerating adoption of generative technologies and AI.Discussing the broader implications of AI, Georg notes that business leaders are increasingly focused on language technology for its cost, return on investment, and time-to-value benefits.Georg points out that these technologies are not just about improving translation quality but also about enabling hyperautomation, hyperpersonalization, and ultimately, hyperscale. The CEO shares that enterprise-grade technology for generating multilingual content at scale is still in demand, underscoring the need for robust, enterprise-quality solutions.The podcast explores new product launches from Phrase, including the introduction of Next GenMT, which combines GPT 4o with Phrase's own MT engine to enhance translation quality and efficiency.Georg also discusses Auto LQA (Language Quality Assessment), an AI-driven solution designed to assist linguists, not replace them, and significantly reduce costs and time spent on quality assessment.The CEO highlights Phrase's strategic shift towards being a platform rather than a product-centric company with an updated pricing model that allows customers to access a comprehensive suite of capabilities.Georg concludes by discussing Phrase's strategic partnerships with major LSPs and the company's ecosystem-first approach.

"Everyone and their mother are talking about AI. Every founder releases their 500th GPT wrapper.""AI is all hype, no substance."Or is it? What if our collective perspective is really skewed, and our gathering places are to blame? Here's my take on why indie hackers have a dangerously biased view on what AI businesses are and should look like.This episode is sponsored by Acquire.comThe blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/indie-hackers-myopic-view-of-ai/The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/325-indie-hackers-myopic-view-of-aiCheck out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: https://podscan.fmSend me a voicemail on Podline: https://podline.fm/arvidYou'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.comPodcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcastNewsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletterMy book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.comHere are a few tools I use. Using my affiliate links will support my work at no additional cost to you.- Notion (which I use to organize, write, coordinate, and archive my podcast + newsletter): https://affiliate.notion.so/465mv1536drx- Riverside.fm (that's what I recorded this episode with): https://riverside.fm/?via=arvid- TweetHunter (for speedy scheduling and writing Tweets): http://tweethunter.io/?via=arvid- HypeFury (for massive Twitter analytics and scheduling): https://hypefury.com/?via=arvid60- AudioPen (for taking voice notes and getting amazing summaries): https://audiopen.ai/?aff=PXErZ- Descript (for word-based video editing, subtitles, and clips): https://www.descript.com/?lmref=3cf39Q- ConvertKit (for email lists, newsletters, even finding sponsors): https://convertkit.com?lmref=bN9CZw

Mary Kazamias, CEO of TRSB, joins SlatorPod to talk about her journey starting as a translator and transitioning through various roles to leading Canada's largest language service provider (LSP).The podcast explores the balance between government and private sector clients in Canada, with Mary noting that while the government produces more content, TRSB serves more customers in the private sector.Mary highlights the importance of understanding cultural nuances in translation, particularly in bilingual regions like Quebec. She also touches on the impact of regulatory requirements on language services demand in Canada, such as the Official Languages Act, Bill 96, and provincial laws.The podcast shifts to talent challenges in the language industry, with Mary highlighting the launch of TRSB Academy which offers a structured mentoring program to equip new translators with the practical skills needed to excel alongside technological advancements.Mary acknowledges the hype surrounding AI, but sees the role of LSPs as system integrators, adapting to incorporate AI technologies while maintaining a human-centric approach to providing language services.When it comes to M&A strategy, Mary stresses the significance of cultural fit and careful post-merger integration for successful acquisitions. Looking ahead, Mary underscores the need for the industry to recognize and promote its diverse capabilities beyond traditional translation, embracing innovation and evolving business processes. 

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics sharing their projections for growth in translation and interpreting jobs between 2022-2032.The duo delves into Reddit's earnings call, where machine translation is emphasized as a key driver for international growth and content accessibility.Florian touches on recent AI dubbing developments, such as Adobe's upcoming generative audio and video tools, and Microsoft Edge's feature to overlay AI-generated dubbing on videos.Esther gives an M&A corner, including Argo Translations' acquisition of Global Accent Translation Services, LanguageWire's acquisition of WhP International, TransPerfect's acquisition of Content Lab, and Supertext USA's spinoff from its Swiss parent company.Esther also discusses RWS' trading update, where the Super Agency announced plans to sell its interest in PatBase, a patent search database, for GBP 30m.

Charles Campbell joins SlatorPod to talk about the evolution of tbo. from a translation company to a diversified business, exploring challenges, strategies, and the impact of industry changes.The President and Founder discusses the talent landscape, mentioning challenges such as layoffs, hiring fluctuations, and the impact of political changes in Argentina. He shares insights on the local economy, the government's actions, and the business outlook amidst these changes.Charles emphasizes the importance of adaptability and flexibility in today's job market, particularly as AI integration reshapes traditional roles. He mentions the need for workers to be open to evolving job descriptions and not overly resistant to incorporating AI into their roles.In discussing the changing role of project managers, Charles highlights the shift towards automation and the need for language service providers to embrace technology while maintaining a human touch.While tbo. embraces technological advancements, Charles acknowledges he passed on opportunities such as data annotation, highlighting the challenges of aligning business strategies with emerging trends.The podcast touches on the rebranding process undertaken by tbo. and establishing business units like tbotalent, tbodev, and tbolab. Charles highlights the importance of a meaningful, simplified brand name that aligns with the company's diverse service offerings.

Daniel Wilson, Founder and CEO of XRI Global, joins SlatorPod to talk about the company's focus on low-resource languages and its efforts to bring digital equality to communities lacking online language support.With a background in linguistics and research on endangered languages in the Caucasus Mountains, Wilson's journey led him to establish XRI Global to address the challenge of building AI tools for languages with limited data availability.The CEO highlights the importance of domain-specific data collection and the need to tailor solutions based on the specific needs of each community, ranging from humanitarian organizations to governments and religious groups.The company's approach includes leveraging large language models and machine translation to provide conversational AI capabilities even for offline communities or areas where internet access is limited. Wilson also touches on the legal and ethical considerations involved in data collection, emphasizing the importance of complying with data laws and obtaining proper consent.Looking ahead, XRI Global plans to expand its language support to over 50 languages in 2024 and continues to explore advancements in on-device AI capabilities for broader accessibility.

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, with SlatorCon London, scheduled for May 23rd, announcing the speaker lineup, including a Keynote presentation from Iris Orriss of Meta.They then discuss how enterprises are becoming increasingly comfortable launching fully automated language AI features, labeling it the “normalization of language AI”.The duo talk about the unprecedented merger of Swiss-based SuperText and Textshuttle, signaling a shift towards more integrated, technology-driven solutions. Other M&A activity includes Deluxe's strategic investment in AppTek, TransPerfect's acquisition of TheSpeech, Diuna Group acquiring Yellow, and Cloudbreak Health's sale.Esther provides an update on financial results, with Straker anticipating a revenue decline while Keywords experienced growth in its top line but a decrease in its globalization division. Meanwhile, Appen faced a failed takeover bid after the bid was leaked, impacting the acquisition of the company.The podcast also touches on Google Translate's controversial decision to shelve its human feedback tool, Contribute, which allowed users to suggest translations for improvement. In other AI news, researchers from the Earth Species Project are exploring the possibility of translating animal communication using advanced AI models.Florian wraps up the pod with the European Commission's recent tender award, TRAD23, which sparked concerns among individual translators regarding pricing and quality standards.

Dr. B.J. Woodstein, Professor, Translator, and Writer, joins SlatorPod to talk about translation theory and its implications for literary translators, while also shedding light on the professional challenges, nuances, and ethical considerations.B.J. discusses her upcoming book, “Translation Theory for Literary Translators”, where she aims to demystify translation theory and make it accessible to translators. She highlights the need for translators to understand and engage with translation theory to enhance their work and make informed decisions in their practice.The author shares insights on the market dynamics of literary translation, including how translators are selected, rates are set, and the challenges faced in the industry. She highlights the importance of human intervention in translation, especially in handling linguistic nuances, cultural concepts, and editorial decisions that go beyond what AI or machine translation can achieve.B.J. reflects on the linguistic and cultural challenges in translating from Swedish to English, such as dealing with different language structures and cultural nuances that may not easily be translated. She also explores the complexities of translating sensitive or explicit content, where decisions need to be made to maintain cultural authenticity while adapting for the target market.The podcast concludes with B.J. sharing her current research projects on equality, diversity, and inclusion in higher education, as well as her interest in translating queer literature. 

Chris Reynolds, the EVP and General Manager of Worldwide Localization and Fulfillment at Deluxe, joins SlatorPod to talk about the complexities of dubbing and the potential impact of AI on the industry.Chris discusses the different elements in the dubbing process, including voice casting, script adaptation, and post-production, as well as the challenges of tight timelines, particularly with the rise of streaming services demanding simultaneous releases in multiple languages.The Deluxe executive also highlights the technical challenges associated with distributing large, uncompressed master files, especially for major Hollywood studios. He underscores the critical role of automation in managing the workflow and ensuring timely delivery of content.Chris shares how Deluxe plans to use AppTek's expertise in language AI to enhance the quality and efficiency of dubbing workflows, while maintaining the artistic integrity and emotional resonance of the original content.Chris also touches upon the recent agreement by SAG-AFTRA and its implications for voice actors' rights and compensation in the era of AI dubbing.While there is an increasing amount of AI tools for lip-syncing and dubbing, Chris emphasizes the continued importance of human voice actors for conveying emotion and nuance.Looking ahead, Deluxe is focused on integrating tools more securely, improving dubbing workflows, and exploring hyper-localization to cater to different languages and dialects.

Adam Bittlingmayer, co-founder and CEO of ModelFront, discusses how machine translation has evolved and improved over the last 15 years. Adam explained how his company aids human translators by identifying sections of machine-translated text in need of human review, enabling them to concentrate on specific areas rather than the whole text. Finally, we delved into the ongoing debates within the AI community regarding the acceleration versus deceleration of AI development, and explored Adam's perspectives on the future direction of the AI ecosystem.

This week, our embarrassment is your entertainment. Then, we check the age and health of all our disks with one app.

Join us in this riveting episode as Jill Kushner Bishop, founder and CEO of Multilingual Connections, takes us on a journey of her entrepreneurial adventure. Discover how she shifted from running four different businesses to specializing in translation services, all while raising a child and maintaining her sanity. Explore how she adopted artificial intelligence and machine translation tools while maintaining the human touch, and how she expanded her business to bridge cultural and language gaps in market research. This episode is filled with stories of leaps of faith, embracing change, and building a globally recognized business.Jill provides invaluable insights on scaling a business, managing a team, and harnessing the power of AI in the language industry. If you're an entrepreneur, a linguist, or anyone interested in the interplay of AI and human expertise, this is one episode you don't want to miss.Tap into Jill's wisdom, adaptability, and innovation, and learn how to navigate the exciting world of language and technology. Hit the play button and immerse yourself in this captivating entrepreneurial journey.Key takeaways from this episode include:Embracing Change in Business: Learn how Jill came to embrace the efficiency and potential of AI and machine translation, highlighting the importance of adaptability in business.Scaling and Specializing: Hear about Jill's transition to focusing on corporate business services, enabling her company to scale efficiently and effectively.Bridging the Gap in Market Research: Discover how Jill's company expanded their service portfolio to fill a market gap by offering bilingual research services.