LATEST ISSUE

December 2024

The Year of Artificial Intelligence

In this end-of-year issue, we reflect on the events, trends, business deals, and technological advancements that shaped 2024 — and how artificial intelligence in particular rocked the language industry.

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t’s a strange year when the most significant actor in the language industry isn’t a CEO or a team but instead a machine. But that’s the world we find ourselves in as artificial intelligence (AI) becomes omnipresent in society. And while the full implications of the technology and its transformative effects on society won’t be understood for some time, it’s impossible to deny the impacts it has had already. That’s why the MultiLingual team likened its industry influence to something like a traditional “Person of the Year.”

The thorny issues surrounding AI adoption are unlikely to go away any time soon. People still have valid concerns about its potential to kill jobs, threaten data privacy, and harm the environment with its immense energy requirements. At the same time, its value as a productivity tool cannot be denied. The coming years will be fascinating to watch unfold as governments, businesses, and thought leaders search out the best balance of advancement and regulation.

It’s a topic Veronica Hylak explores with nuance and depth in this end-of-year issue. Likewise, Bruno Lewin, Joe O’Brien, and John Wilcock dig into its most effective integrations with translation workflows. If you’re exhausted by the AI conversation, no worries! You’ll find plenty of other subjects in this issue, too.

In so many ways, 2024 will be remembered as a historic and consequential year for the world. But if you’re lucky enough to spend time with friends and family this holiday season, do your best to disconnect and let the world do its own spinning. We’ve all earned a break, and we can’t wait to see you in 2025.

Event Recap

University of Michigan’s Translate-A-Thon

University of Michigan students and faculty, along with other volunteers, conducted 16 hours of translations to benefit the local, national, and international community. The group successfully advanced projects in 16 languages, while also building a stronger community translator volunteer network.

LocWorld52 Monterey

Held October 28-30, LocWorld52 took place in beautiful Monterey, California, and welcomed more than 600 attendees eager to discuss AI and other hot topics in localization. This LocWorld conference was particularly special because the organizers were able to welcome students from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, who offered volunteer support throughout three rigorous days of conference sessions.

ATA’s 65th Annual Conference

The American Translators Association held its 2024 conference in Portland, Oregon, from October 30 to November 2. The event attracted over 1,200 attendees and speakers from all over the world and was an opportunity for language professionals to stay competitive in a dynamic industry environment.

International Translation Forum 2024

The event was held on November 8 and 9 in Riyadh and highlighted the strategic importance of the translation industry. Drawing over 3,000 participants and 50 global experts, the forum demonstrated Saudi Arabia’s increasing role in supporting the growth of the translation sector and practices.

Column

PAST TENSE

Thawing the Glacier of Interpretation

By Ewandro Magalhães

The author reflects on the slow pace of technological progress in the interpretation space, from the advent of simultaneous interpreting in 1945 to the dawn of remote work in 2020. Now, with the emergence of AI-based machine interpreting, he urges both individual interpreters and language service providers to embrace these new, innovative solutions.

Perspectives

The Makings of an Award-Winning Magazine

By Marjolein Groot Nibbelink

This year, MultiLingual magazine was crowned with an APEX Award for Publication Excellence, a top awards program for independent publishers. The magazine’s former publisher reflects on how the winning issue was produced and what the award means for the publication’s devoted staff and readers.

BUSINESS

A Dynamic Year for Mergers and Acquisitions

Consolidation Meant Growth for the Language Industry in 2024

By Jonathan Otis

After a significant slowdown in 2023, the language sector’s M&A landscape rebounded this year, with nearly every language service provider that generates over $50 million annually completing at least one acquisition. This deal-making boom reflects not only the economic, political, and technological tides influencing industries worldwide, but also specific forces driving LSP consolidation.

Artificial Intelligence

Your Guide to 2024’s Rapid AI Developments

And their impacts on the language industry

By Veronica Hylak

This year was marked by relentless technological acceleration driven by artificial intelligence. Veronica Hylak identifies the eight biggest takeaways from 2024’s many AI updates, including their major impacts on data privacy, online search, intellectual property, and energy use.

Three Rules for Integrating Generative AI Into Translation Workflows

Insights from the Microsoft Globalization Team

By Bruno Lewin, Joe O’Brien, and John Wilcock

Globalization experts from Microsoft share advice for effectively and ethically using generative artificial intelligence for translation and localization. They recommend evaluating cost, speed, and quality when compared to alternative technologies, as well as using context-aware techniques and responsible AI principles to improve translation quality.

The Sky Is the Limit: e-Arabization and the Future of the GCC

Supported by e-Arabization

From its founding 15 years ago, e-Arabization has made it its mission to support Arabic representation through top-notch localization services and advocacy. And its work is paying off. There’s arguably never been a better time to invest in the Arabic language, and e-Arabization is riding that wave of investment toward a remarkable future.

Meet Lara, the New AI Architecture for Translation

Supported by Translated

Lara surpasses traditional machine translation by blending accuracy with the fluency, reasoning, and contextual understanding of large language models. It delivers quality approaching that of the best professional translators, explaining its translation choices to ensure clarity and alignment with the user’s intent.

BOOK REVIEW

Native Experience Marketing

By Mark Saba

Review by Renato Beninatto

Mark Saba’s Native Experience Marketing offers a refreshing approach to global marketing — one centered around the idea of authenticity. Saba’s framework provides a roadmap for marketers who are ready to leave behind outdated models and embrace a more inclusive way of communicating with the world.