Senior localization project manager at Altagram Group, Gabriella de Stefano, believes that success in the localization industry requires adaptability and an understanding of new trends and concepts, as artificial intelligence (AI) continues its integration into myriad localization tasks.
What is your favorite thing about MultiLingual Magazine?
I enjoy it because it gives a comprehensive insight into our industry. Whether you are a translator, a project manager, or a business developer, you always find interesting topics that help you grow your knowledge. It covers both mainstream and niche topics, so you can get insights into areas that you wouldn’t necessarily find in your daily work.
How did you get involved in the translation business?
Languages have been my passion since I was a little girl. My parents used to travel abroad a lot, and my house was full of souvenirs from all over the world. Over the years, knowing people from different cultures sparked my interest in deepening my knowledge even more in this field so I could communicate better with them and understand their traditions.
It was quite a smooth and natural path from university to my very first job as a translator in the localization industry, already 10 years ago, and into my current position as a senior localization project manager and AI integration consultant. I’m a very curious person, and I enjoy gaining new knowledge in different fields, including programming, search engine optimization (SEO), and product management, among others; it’s interesting how all this knowledge becomes useful in the localization industry in one way or another.
Since you entered the translation business, how has the business landscape changed?
Ten years is a lot of time, especially for an industry so connected to technologies. When I started, we used to work a lot with neural machine translation, which now has large language models (LLMs) as a valid ally. Nowadays, AI can be embedded in pretty much every task of the localization chain. There are so many new roles in localization right now that didn’t exist before: data collector, data annotators, prompt engineer, AI localization consultant … and new roles will probably be created in the near future. It’s a landscape where AI is getting stronger and stronger but human oversight is still essential.
Could you share your experience working with your first client or on your first project?
One of the clients I hold closest to my heart has been developing a video game for several years now, and we worked hand in hand to set up an AI localization workflow from scratch, aimed at boosting translation speed and cutting costs while keeping quality under control.
In the beginning, as you can imagine, we found a lot of resistance from all sides: We wanted to keep the same linguistic team, but some translators were very suspicious of AI and reluctant to use it — as were a few marketing stakeholders on the client’s end and project coordinators on our end — since gaming can include a lot of content that is tricky for LLMs.
Our solution was to create an impeccable workflow in which assets were carefully analyzed and prepared. Quality was to be checked before, during, and after localization; these continuous quality checks and strategies ensured consistency over time. Another key factor was doing it gradually. We started small, with specific content in only one language, before migrating all the languages of the project and increasing diversity. All languages have now been onboarded, and with the savings generated, the client is exploring more markets, which will be a new and exciting adventure.
The beauty is that we can always find and experiment with new ways to improve, and the close collaboration with our client makes everything easier.
Do you believe it’s a good time to enter the translation business?
I think that entering the translation business today is more challenging than it once was, but if the passion is there, it’s still worth it. One skill is essential: being able to adapt and reinvent yourself. With new tools and technologies being launched on a weekly basis, it’s important to be aware of the latest trends at all times. Most major language service providers now actively work with AI and are no longer just looking for professionals who can translate or manage projects. Today, you’re also expected to understand prompts, LLMs, hallucinations, and other AI-related concepts. It’s clear that succeeding in this industry now requires much more than just a degree in translation or business.
Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 10 years?
I like seeing myself still in the localization industry, leading complex localization programs with the implementation of cutting-edge technologies and a strong focus on process optimization. I see myself working closely with cross-functional teams (product, engineering, design, marketing, etc.) to embed localization earlier and more efficiently in development cycles. By continuously refining processes and embracing innovation, I want to help global organizations deliver culturally resonant, high-impact content faster and more efficiently.
What predictions do you have for the future of the translation business?
I think the trend of extensive AI use will continue in many different ways. From audio to quality assurance, transcreation, and localization, LLMs will become a key asset. Therefore, it will be important to work with professionals who are passionate and who believe in AI without seeing it as the final boss to defeat in order to keep their own career. AI is not killing the industry; it’s creating even more opportunities — we just need to know how to make the most out of it.
