Alessandro Cattelan, COO of Translated, discusses the new skills language professionals will need to adapt to the era of generative AI.

How is AI challenging the language industry?

“The translation industry is undergoing a profound transformation due to the rise of AI technologies, particularly large language models (LLMs) and neural machine translation (NMT). The challenge lies in balancing machine efficiency with human creativity to maintain the high standards of nuance and cultural understanding. The role of linguists is evolving towards managing quality and cultural nuances, a shift that opens new opportunities but also requires a rethinking of traditional workflows.”

How will localization teams evolve?

“The shift from simple translation tasks to more complex multilingual content creation is changing the landscape. Product and engineering teams are increasingly integrating translation into their tools and platforms, requiring localization managers to rethink their roles. They may need to focus on creating culturally relevant and compelling multilingual content, developing new skills, and working closely with marketing and content teams. In this evolving environment, they need to be not only localization experts, but also part engineers and part marketers. This way, they will have the opportunity to evolve into cultural managers who contribute to even more remarkable results.”

How is Translated approaching this scenario?

“For over 25 years, we’ve been combining AI, like ModernMT, with professional translators to meet our clients’ challenges and ensure that high-quality translations are culturally resonant and contextually appropriate. Throughout the years, we have continued to research language AI and integrate cutting-edge technologies into our localization solutions as they emerge. We’re doing the same with Generative AI, preparing for possible futures, including AI-first workflows and multilingual content creation. We are already enabling better global communication strategies and expanding into underserved languages and markets, such as the growing African language sector.”