LATEST ISSUE
May 2026
Isabelle Andrieu: The Power of Adaptation
In 2026, language technology retains its centerpiece placement in professional conversations. It's the defining topic of the industry's present and future. This month, we examine how linguists, teams, and business leaders are adapting to and applying those technological changes in their own enterprises.
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here’s no question about it: The language industry is still finding its balance following the disruption unleashed by artificial intelligence (AI). But with each passing year, that once-shaky balance becomes surer as professionals find new technological applications and refined combinations of human and machine power. One innovation leads to another, and month by month, workers find methods to hit their quality standards more efficiently.
Or do they? As usual, the industrial dynamics defy simplistic characterization. That’s why MultiLingual’s Innovation and Technology issue aims to view the landscape from multiple angles.
To that end, this issue contains perspectives both from those excited by successes with AI and those butting up against its limitations. Giovanna Patruno, for instance, examines what AI can and cannot achieve with automated writing, in the process examining what good writing accomplishes at a fundamental level. Likewise, Pham Hoa Hiep digs into situations in which AI costs more time than it saves for translation projects.
On the other side of the coin, the localization team at Wellhub shares how their experiments with AI led to substantial efficiency gains on major projects. And Christine Clay demonstrates how businesses can successfully move AI from experimentation to a fully scalable resource by integrating it into existing infrastructure while maintaining human oversight.
And who knows more about language technology than Isabelle Andrieu? As the co-founder of Translated, she’s been on the forefront of its evolution since 1999. In this month’s cover profile, we asked her about her experience foreseeing and responding to technological change for over 25 years and what she envisions next.
It’s a tumultuous time to be working with words, that’s for sure. But hopefully this month’s conversations and analyses offer insights and inspiration for the work to come.
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Column
LANGUAGE ACCESS MATTERS
Why Language Access Cannot Be Automated Away
Language access, which is a civil right, cannot be fully automated by AI, especially in high-stakes situations like legal or medical settings. Human professionals are indispensable because they provide judgment, cultural leadership, agility, and governance and manage the complexity, trauma, and ethical responsibility that AI cannot handle.
Perspectives
What Gets Lost When AI Writes, and How to Reclaim It
Despite being technically and grammatically correct, AI-generated text reads as empty because it performs only one of six functions of communication. The author examines AI content’s lack of substance from a translator’s perspective and suggests ways to reclaim communication as an act of thought and relationship.
The Human Architecture of AI
Why the future of our industry depends on the people we cannot afford to lose
The language industry’s future depends on recognizing that AI requires a human architecture of trained professionals. Linguists and governance experts provide essential accountability, nuance, and oversight that AI cannot replace, and eliminating these roles would destabilize the system.
Language Technology
The Wellness Workflow
Intelligent automation and sustainable localization at Wellhub
By Josevi Abad
As a company focused on improving wellbeing in the business world, we asked the question: Could AI do the same for us? Thanks to intelligent automation, we were able to do just that.
Why AI Adoption Stalls in Multilingual Content Workflows
The author discusses the “pilot-to-production gap” in adopting AI to support multilingual content. Scaling AI requires integrating it into existing translation infrastructure, maintaining human oversight, and consistently applying terminology and translation memory to ensure quality and trust.
Profile
Isabelle Andrieu: The Power of Adaptation
Interview by Cameron Rasmusson
Translated co-founder Isabelle Andrieu discusses the company’s origins, its preparations for the AI era, and the future it envisions for its many clients and translators. She also offers advice to language service professionals — build your ability to adapt — and leads by example.
Language Technology
When AI Slows You Down
A translator’s experience with Vietnamese audio
AI is supposed to be a productivity accelerator, enabling linguists to do more work more quickly. But what happens when AI-driven workflows cost more time and frustration than human-driven translation?
Business
The Future of Translation Companies
How automation is redefining scale
By Rishi Anand
The booming language services market benefits from operational automation to assist with complex manual workflows. Translation business management systems (TBMSs) provide the intelligent infrastructure to automate client, vendor, and finance management, enabling efficient scaling and meeting enterprise compliance needs.
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Sponsored Content
Turning Complexity Into a Growth Lever
Supported by Translated
Translated’s VP of AI Solutions, John Tinsley, explains how operational fragmentation in localization led to TranslationOS, the first adaptive AI service delivery platform for translation.
The Build-or-Buy Decision Facing Localization Teams
Supported by Phrase
Building a global AI for your business seems like a straightforward decision. But the associated responsibilities and liabilities can be more than meets the eye. Are you considering the full picture?
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