The Year in Review and 2025 Predictions!

Hosted by Florian Faes and Esther Bond, with guest Anna Wyndham, in their SlatorPod year-end 2024 episode, key language industry trends over the course of the past year, including trends, drivers, and predictions, 2025, will be discussed.

First, language industry news of the week: LXT acquired clickworker with the goal of doubling revenues by 2025 by expanding its AI data capabilities. Esther also shares how EzDubs, a speech translation startup, raised USD 4.2m in seed funding.

Florian comments that RWS published revenues for 2024 that are stable with £180m from AI-powered products and services. Additionally, YouTube announced the rollout of AI dubbing, enabling content creators to reach new language-speaking audiences, but admitted limitations at this point, including poor voice quality.

https://youtu.be/CtrVDikK7lE

In their discussion, the trio talked about the UK House of Lords inquiry into court interpreting and translation, highlighting pay issues for interpreters, quality issues, and how AI is being deployed for 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 forward, Anna foresees rapid adoption of AI by the public sector given the cost constraints and the need for scalability, whereas Florian envisions further breakthroughs in machine translation quality estimation and, possibly, IPOs in the language tech industry. Esther predicts higher levels of M&A activity in the industry, where niche providers seek stability and scalability in a competitive market.

Key Takeaways from SlatorCon London 2024

Introduction

On May 23, 2024, over 170 language industry leaders from across the world gathered in the vibrant city of London for SlatorCon London 2024. This event was a melting pot of ideas, innovations, and networking opportunities, offering attendees valuable insights into the future of language services and technology. Let's dive into the key takeaways from this remarkable event.

Opening Remarks

Esther Bond's Welcome Address

The event kicked off with a warm welcome from Slator's own and London native Esther Bond, Head of Advisory. Esther provided an engaging overview of the day's presentations and panels, setting the stage for an exciting and informative day.

Florian Faes' Market Mood Check

Following Esther, Slator Managing Director Florian Faes took the stage to deliver a market mood check. Drawing insights from Slator’s 2024 Language Industry Market Report, Florian highlighted how AI is rapidly transforming existing markets while simultaneously creating new ones. His examples of shifting market dynamics were a perfect prelude to the day's discussions.

Morning Sessions

Bryan Murphy's AI Toolkit Presentation

Bryan Murphy, CEO of Smartling, continued the stimulating morning sessions by discussing his company's new AI toolkit. He emphasized the toolkit's potential to produce billions of words in translations daily, showcasing how AI can complement and enhance existing hybrid AI-human workflows. Bryan’s insights into leveraging the right mix of technologies were both eye-opening and inspiring.

Martina Pancot's Localization Journey at Vinted

Next up was Martina Pancot, Localization Director at Vinted. Martina shared her experience of building a localization operation from scratch for the online second-hand retailer. With 18 million members across 20 different countries, Vinted processed 3 million source words in 2023 alone. Martina's journey was a testament to the challenges and triumphs of scaling localization efforts.

Keynote Speech

Iris Orriss on Meta's Localization Operations

Iris Orriss, Vice President of Global Experience and International Marketing at Meta, delivered an insightful keynote speech. She outlined the scale of Meta’s localization operations and stressed the continued importance of culturally-aware expert linguists. According to Iris, AI is often labeled the "age of machines," but human interaction remains central to our communication and experience. Her vision of a future where AI and human elements coexist harmoniously was particularly compelling.

Panel Discussions

AI Automation

The afternoon sessions began with a panel on AI automation, moderated by Esther Bond. Panelists from DeepL and Clarivate discussed the need for a tailored mix of AI solutions for specific translation needs. They emphasized the importance of thorough planning and consideration of all elements involved in any AI implementation.

AI-enabled Localization in Public Broadcasting

Florian Faes moderated the next panel on AI-enabled localization in public broadcasting, featuring executives from AppTek, Deluxe, and EBC. The discussion focused on how AI technology can support new use cases, such as the "TV Brasil Internacional" 24/7 EBC online channel. These initiatives illustrate how AI can achieve goals previously thought impossible.

Language AI Startup Journey

The final panel, moderated by Slator’s Head of Research Anna Wyndham, explored the language AI startup journey. Panelists from Byrdhouse AI and Mabel.AI shared their experiences in designing and launching their products. They also discussed the current technological challenges in speech-to-speech solutions, providing a glimpse into the future of language AI.

Subject Matter Expert-Driven AI Solutions

Richard Parnell, General Manager at Linguamatics, presented a compelling case for a subject matter expert-driven AI language solutions model. He argued that incorporating expertise from human specialists can significantly enhance the effectiveness of AI solutions, making them more reliable and accurate.

Closing Remarks

Florian Faes wrapped up the event with closing remarks, inviting the audience to join the Slator team for more thought-provoking meetings at SlatorCon Remote in June 2024, or in person again on September 5, 2024, at SlatorCon Silicon Valley. His summary of the day's key points served as a fitting conclusion to a day rich with insights and innovation.

Conclusion

SlatorCon London 2024 was a resounding success, bringing together industry leaders to share their knowledge and experience. The event highlighted the pivotal role of AI in the language industry, showcased innovative solutions, and provided a platform for meaningful discussions. As the language services sector continues to evolve, events like SlatorCon remain essential in driving progress and fostering collaboration.