Reflecting on 2024: Successes and Areas for Adjustments

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Ian El-Mokadem, CEO at RWS Group

It’s a great moment to reflect upon the last few years as this will be my last submission as CEO of RWS. There has certainly been no shortage of global events to navigate. Above all though, the central question has been whether AI would benefit or harm our industry.

Broadly LSPs faced two options – to embrace AI at pace or to go slower and see what might happen. At RWS, we chose the former and we have invested significantly in our most powerful ever range of solutions which combine Human Intelligence and AI in what we term Genuine IntelligenceTM.

It’s important to remember that all our clients must face up to the “AI question” too. We will continue to work to help them understand the opportunities AI creates to enhance the relationships they forge with their customers whilst navigating the risks that poor AI deployment can bring for brands and reputations.

The evidence is that this approach is working. We are seeing accelerating demand for our pioneering set of language, content, and data service solutions. Thanks to AI, our company purpose of Unlocking Global Understanding, has never been more achievable.

January 2025

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Bertrand Gstalder, CEO at Acolad

2024… what an epic year!

After the uncertainties of 2023, 2024 has been marked for Acolad by operationalization.
First and foremost, 2024 was the birth of our LIA platform, allowing us to bring our AI solutions to life for our customers in an industrial and secure manner.
2024 is also the acceleration of our interpreting activities in a booming market, particularly around our Acolad Live platform and remote interpreting services, as well as the introduction of AI Interpreting.

It is the constant adjustment of our operating model in a post-localization context. This is a real challenge for all operators given the massive transformation and opportunity that AI has brought to the global content space.

Finally, 2024 is the launch of our new Acolad brand platform, echoing the completion of our integration plan over the past few years, giving rise to "One Acolad."
Great achievements to start 2025, the year of our 30th anniversary!
The picture is not all bright, however.

In a very tense economic and political context for our clients and for ourselves, and the belief, by some, that with AI, localization would become "almost free", the pressure on budgets has been very strong in the translation field. The opportunities brought by new services have not been enough to compensate for a major evolution in our industry. This is certainly just the beginning with the acceleration around AI, and it requires constant self-challenge.

For Acolad, 2025 will be marked by acceleration around LIA, particularly APE/AQE models, the further development of Acolad Live as we accelerate interpreting growth, data services expansion, multimedia, and linguistic validation in our Life Sciences specialized practice. These changes - this pivot I might say- however impose significant transformations and technological investments that will undoubtedly continue to disrupt the industry and likely penalize players who do not have the human or financial means to build or buy.

It is to be hoped, however, that these transformations do not lose sight of the goals of successful localization, the real value of the services provided, and the ethics around delivery to market. We are excited to continue to enable value for our clients, help them accelerate their AI journey and bring measurable results to their organizations in a time of continued disruption and innovation.
I wish the best to the industry.

January 2025

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Jean-François Lymburner, CEO at Canada Translation Bureau

Reflecting on 2024: Successes and Areas for Adjustments.

A steep learning curve, that’s what I would call 2024. On a personal level, obviously, as it was my first year as CEO of Public Services and Procurement at Canada’s Translation Bureau. But I’d be so bold to say that 2024 was rife with lessons for the language industry as a whole. Lessons about client attrition in traditional business lines. Lessons about client retention in specialized fields. Lessons about untapped territories to be developed and value to be added. With the obvious overarching theme: generative AI, the wide range of possibilities it opens - and the important place that remains for human expertise.

“Human in the cockpit.” I can’t remember where I first heard it expressed in those terms. It strikes me as an apt way to sum up what the lessons of 2024 are all about, and what we should be striving for in 2025. Autopilot is fine for our short language hops. But when the destination matters, we need someone alert in the driver’s seat, ready to take control at the slightest hint of trouble.

The question is: are language professionals equipped to assume this role? And what about future practitioners - are we grooming them right? Barely two years have elapsed since the ChatGPT earthquake. That’s quite a short change management timeline for any industry, let alone one as diverse and decentralized as ours.

I’m confident current language professionals will come through. Many are already thriving in the new environment. But the decreasing intake in translation studies (at least in Canada) leaves me wondering if, amid our efforts to adapt our business to AI, we haven’t been neglecting succession planning. I hope the next generation will be on everyone’s radar in the coming year, to ensure our industry’s lasting vitality.

Here’s to success on all fronts in 2025!

January 2025

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Alexander Ulichnowski, CEO at Argos Multilingual

Reflecting on 2024, it's clear that the localization industry is undergoing a transformation, one driven by the rapid adoption of AI and large language models. These technologies have fundamentally reshaped workflows and content channels, expanded scalability options, and challenged traditional views of quality, efficiency, and creativity.

A major success this year has been the industry's ability to integrate AI and LLM tools into production pipelines without compromising the human expertise that ensures cultural relevance and linguistic nuance. Many organizations have leveraged these tools to manage the exponential growth of content, boost productivity, and reduce time to market.

2024 has also highlighted areas requiring adjustment. We've seen examples where the rush to adopt AI solutions has sometimes outpaced the development of robust quality frameworks and ethical standards. Balancing the efficiency gains of automation with the trust and accuracy demanded by end users is a key aspect of this transformation.

Looking ahead, the localization industry must focus on refining its integration of AI and LLMs, fostering transparency, and investing in upskilling talent. 2024 has proven that while technology can amplify our capabilities, the human element remains irreplaceable in building trust and delivering impactful global experiences.

January 2025

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Christian Gardiner, CEO at SeproTec Multilingual Solutions

In the little over six months I have been in the industry, my learning curve has been both exciting and inspiring. At Seprotec, we are thrilled by the changes we're witnessing across the industry and the technological developments we are implementing. This is a dynamic sector with immense growth potential, and we are fully convinced that it is one worth investing in. Ultimately, the winners will be those who can attract and integrate the brightest minds-not only in linguistics but also in technology.

For our industry as well, 2024 has been a year of continuous learning. We've gained valuable insights into the challenges of declining demand for traditional services while navigating client uncertainty regarding AI-based linguistic solutions. This year has been pivotal in understanding the complexities of client retention, successfully introducing advanced, technology-driven services far beyond the conventional scope of our industry, and exploring the vast opportunities presented by generative AI. This shift has redefined the way we present our services, expanding into a broader, more technologically sophisticated offering.

That said, there is still much to adjust and develop. When it comes to technology, the learning curve is continuously shaped not only by the inventive capacity of companies but also by the speed at which clients and end-users adopt these innovations. We must continue to challenge the traditional ways in which we deliver services, prioritize technological innovation, foster professional development, and enhance our agility in developing and bringing new solutions to market. Uncompromising quality must remain at the forefront. Above all, we need to further strengthen our consultative selling capabilities and shift our mindset to effectively engage with a broader, more diverse audience.

January 2025

Matthew Taylor, CEO at DA Languages

2024 has experienced continued growth in UK Public Sector interpreting. New public sector bodies have realised the importance and value interpreting can add, and on average, existing clients have double digit growth with no signs of this growth slowing .

Immigration has continued in the UK and across Europe, creating ever more demand on interpreting LSPs. Qualified interpreters are essential to ensure precise communication resulting in better outcomes for our clients and their customers, specifically improving health outcomes and preventing hospital re-admission. Interpreting LSPs will need to invest more in growing their supply chains to keep up with the volume of demand.

Looking back on 2024, two long term investments stand out, people and technology;

Having great people is the essence of the business and without continuously adding high calibre individuals to the senior team, we would never have kept up with growth opportunities. Over the last 6 years I have strived to maintain a balance with mid-senior hires of circa 50% from industry and 50% new to industry and strongly believe this has helped eliminate complacency.
Technology is essential to scale. Obviously, technology development of proprietary systems can be expensive, it can take longer than expected, but I was

very lucky to receive good advice through 2021 and 2022 around investing in systems for scale and security. Its only years later (2024) when you realise how much that investment has paid off. Tech and people remain strategic priorities.

Finally, throughout 2024 developments in AI continued. Interpreting remains very much a human interaction with vast layers of verbal and non-verbal complexity and currently some strongly divergent opinions continue with regard to how these technologies can complement our industry. I would expect more alignment to emerge in 2025, a great time to be in Interpreting.

January 2025

Mary Kazamias, CEO at TRSB

As we reflect on the past year and plan for the future, several key themes and challenges have emerged, shaping our ever-evolving landscape.

The past year has been a pivotal period of transition, largely driven by unexpected regulatory developments resulting in shifting customer demand. These changes have presented significant growth opportunities but also underscored the need for adaptability and foresight. Navigating compliance while capitalizing on emerging market demands has become a critical focus.
Technological advancements have brought progress, yet the pace of innovation has proven insufficient to address the growing complexities of our clients' needs. While strides have been made in areas like automation and AI integration, there remains a gap between technological capabilities and their practical application in solving real-world challenges.

AI continues to dominate industry discussions, but conversations alone are no longer enough. Many clients are curious and engaged, but the true opportunity lies in gaining a deeper understanding of their unique business requirements. By fostering greater openness, collaboration, and transparency, we can encourage clients to share their challenges and aspirations more freely, enabling faster and more meaningful outcomes.

Our sales efforts have also experienced notable success, with strong engagement and promising opportunities. However, sustaining and amplifying this momentum requires a shift from transactional approaches to deeper consulting capabilities. Strategic guidance has become a key differentiator in a competitive market. Consulting is no longer optional—it is essential for fostering long-term partnerships and delivering enduring value.

As we move forward, these insights will inform our strategy, ensuring that we remain agile, client-focused, and ahead of the curve in a business landscape defined by continuous transformation.

January 2025

Konstantin Ioseliani, President and CEO of Janus Worldwide

Reflecting on 2024, it’s clear that this year has been a testament to resilience, growth, and unwavering commitment. Despite industry challenges—economic shifts, technological disruptions, and rising competition—our team has not only met these obstacles head-on but has excelled in achieving remarkable milestones.

This year, we’ve celebrated significant progress, including enhanced collaboration with strategic clients, the successful completion of complex multilingual projects, and expanded market presence in key regions. Our dedication to delivering exceptional service has solidified trust with clients and fueled our growth.
Looking ahead to 2025, the final year of our current three-year strategy, we remain steadfast in our commitment to:

Strengthening our position as a global language service provider.
Advancing our technological capabilities to stay at the forefront of innovation.
Deepening relationships with our key accounts to deliver even greater value.
Investing in the growth and development of our talented team—our most valuable asset.

Together, we will continue to navigate challenges, embrace opportunities, and achieve excellence. 2025 holds the promise of bold achievements and transformative success, building on the strong foundation we’ve laid.

January 2025

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Ludmila Golovine, President and CEO of Masterword

This year has been defined by meaningful progress and renewed confidence across our industry. Despite widespread concerns, steady interest from private equity underscores that language services remain a worthwhile investment. Most importantly, we are actively shaping how AI is adopted. With generative AI edging past the peak of the tech hype cycle adopted as one of the tools we use, the focus now is on accountability and mitigating risk.

Nothing yet replaces the nuanced oversight that skilled professionals provide. AI output needs informed human interpretation, validation, and labelling. This raises pivotal questions about workforce readiness and whether we have the right new roles and workflows in place to thrive in an AI-driven environment. It’s not just about “upskilling or reskilling,” but understanding precisely what new expertise is required and remaking job descriptions to fit.

Meanwhile, many LSPs are focused on offering AI-related services. But do these align with evolving client needs? Are our assumptions about their pain points still accurate? Or have shifting priorities, shaped by AI and digital transformation, introduced new hurdles?

I’m encouraged by the industry-wide focus on responsible AI. Recent Interpreting SAFE AI Task Force guidance on the ethical application AI in automated interpreting affirms that AI adoption does not negate the need for human expertise; rather, it opens doors for innovation. Reflecting on 2024, I see a year where we gained momentum, questioned old models, innovated, and transformed. As we move into 2025, we’ll continue championing responsible AI, addressing evolving client pain points, and taking language access and global communication solutions to the next level.

January 2024

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Russel Haworth, CEO at Acclaro

In October 2024, I joined Acclaro as CEO because I saw an incredible opportunity: to help businesses go global faster with smarter, tech-driven workflows.

2024 was a breakthrough year for generative AI, in the localization industry and beyond. It reshaped B2B across the board, changing how companies approach sales and marketing, product development, and customer experience. At Acclaro, we tackled these changes head-on. We partnered with our clients to implement technologies that improved translation, localization, testing, and content creation - making it all faster and more efficient with higher quality output.

We also zeroed in on how we can support businesses building their own AI products. That work included annotating and labeling multilingual data for AI training, and testing our client’s Generative AI model outputs across hundreds of languages. We call this suite of offerings AI enablement services, and it’s just the beginning. We have some exciting research and development in the pipeline as we explore new ways to help businesses succeed globally with AI.

Much has changed in the localization industry, but one thing remains the same: Technology is only as good as the team behind it. Over the past year, we spent time redefining roles, training our people, and empowering them to think differently. Because the changes AI brings are massive - and they’re happening fast.

Looking ahead, there’s so much more we can do. In 2025, we’re focusing on helping brands use Generative AI and advanced localization technology to scale operations, adapt for multilingual audiences, and enter new markets faster. How will we do this? Through new investments in our team, a focus on product and service innovation, and strategic M&A.

January 2025

Maximilian Lachnit, CEO at Transline

As we enter 2025, we face both challenges and exciting opportunities. AI entered the market and a lot of industries understood what they can use it for without having their own experts, so it’s the people who know the technology who truly drive the change. While AI offers new tools for automation, it’s the human ability to innovate that remains at the core of our success.

The need for content transformation, localization, and connection is stronger than ever with a demand for globalization, and as an industry, we have the opportunity to embrace AI in ways that enhance our work rather than replace it.

In 2025, we will continue to focus on innovation, operational efficiency, and customer-centricity, all while adapting to a rapidly evolving landscape. By staying true to our claim—creating global success stories—we are well-positioned for future growth, no matter what challenges lie ahead.

Here’s to a year of progress, collaboration, and success.

January 2025

Henning Hinz, CEO at t'works Group

With 2024 ending, our industry finds itself at a pivotal moment of recalibration. The rapid pace of technological advancements over the last two years, especially in AI and machine learning, has reshaped how services are delivered, creating new opportunities while also introducing novel challenges.

Innovation has been a cornerstone of success in the LSP industry for many years. Artificial intelligence has continued to evolve, enabling us to offer faster, more efficient, and scalable services. AI-powered tools are now seamlessly integrated into translation and quality assurance workflows, reducing turnaround times, and increasing productivity.

Furthermore, the focus on localization and personalization has expanded, as businesses and organizations increasingly recognize the importance of tailoring content to specific cultural and linguistic contexts. While the adoption of innovation has driven success, 2024 has also highlighted new risks that customers and service providers must navigate as the rapid development of AI has raised concerns regarding data privacy, quality control, and ethical implications.

The focus has shifted to ensuring that language solutions go beyond mere translation to create truly localized content to reach our customers’ goals while complying with all external requirements. Human oversight remains crucial. LSPs must find the right balance between leveraging AI for efficiency and maintaining human expertise to avoid compromising quality and compliance.

As we move into 2025, the key to continued success will be balancing innovation with thoughtful risk management. By reinforcing human-AI collaboration and diversifying risk management strategies, the LSP industry can navigate this evolving landscape. Continuing to provide high-quality language services in an increasingly globalized world, guiding our customers through the more and more complex field of options, and advising when to involve experts are becoming the key factors of 2025.

January 2025

Chris Hodgson Castillo, CEO at Mother Tongue

2024 has been another big year of big change for our industry – not all of it easy. When I look back at the last twelve months, however, I think there is a lot for us to reflect on with pride.
We have now firmly moved into the post-localization era. Certainly, at Mother Tongue, very few of our relationships involve simply translating content from one language to another. Partnerships involve a variety of localization workflows, with different degrees of automation; local-market strategy and insight are a key part of engagements; there is increased focus on brand guardianship; and services such as terminology management, quality assurance and SEO work continue to grow in importance. This change has not happened by accident and is the product of open conversation between clients and industry partners and a willingness to embrace new possibilities.

The industry as a whole continues to move into new spaces. Language services are playing a key role in shaping GenAI platforms. We are increasingly active in content and marketing. And we have moved forwards in developing integrated offerings – working alongside third parties such as platform providers, creative agencies, and production specialists to deliver joined-up solutions for clients that help them move the needle in both effectiveness and efficiency.
In terms of adjustments for the future, that expansive thinking must continue. The agencies that add the most value will be those that focus on how their work impacts their clients’ businesses, as opposed to how they deliver their traditional LSP toolkit.

That will call for greater specialization, and a continued upskilling among agencies and freelance talent. We have to be able to provide comprehensive packages that meet changing requirements, while still offering genuine expertise in each component of those packages. We cannot be a Jack of all trades and be satisfied with middling solutions.

Whatever 2025 has in store, I’d like to wish everyone in the industry every success for the new year. I look forward to breaking new ground with you all.

January 2025

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Pierrick Mathieu, Co-Founder and COO of Powerling

2024 was a year marked by technological acceleration, redefining our business and our interactions with our customers. Artificial intelligence, once seen as a distant innovation, is now better understood by our customers, who are showing a real appetite to deepen their knowledge and maximize its impact.

At the same time, we have observed a consolidation of the market, with players seeking to strengthen their positions in the face of economic challenges. While the United States continues its growth momentum, some European players are experiencing more difficulties, accentuating the disparities between regions.

At Powerling, we have intensified the automation of our processes in order to refocus our efforts on advising and supporting our customers' content strategies. This transformation enables us to respond more effectively to their needs, while preparing for the future with agility.

2025 promises to be a pivotal year, in which innovation and adaptability will be at the heart of our success more than ever before.

January 2024

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Marina Ilari, CEO of Terra Translations

The localization industry is evolving rapidly, driven by advancements in AI, macroeconomic shifts, and increasing global demands. Reflecting on the successes and areas for improvement in 2024, I conclude that while AI can streamline workflows and expand content reach, it also introduces new complexities.

Expert localization professionals are increasingly tasked with managing integrations, overseeing quality control, and navigating complex workflows. By blending human expertise with innovative technology, we can not only achieve efficiency and scale but also protect businesses from the inherent risks of global expansion.

Localization teams play a critical role in mitigating financial, reputational, and legal risks for companies and organizations worldwide. This creates an opportunity to further elevate our role and demonstrate the immense value we bring as professionals in this field.

My final reflection on 2024 is this: more than ever, localization should no longer be seen merely as a value-add—it is a strategic safeguard in an interconnected world.

January 2025

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Pedro L. Díez Orzas, CEO and Founder of Linguaserve

The data from various reports points to a challenging outlook for the sector in 2025, following the difficulties encountered in 2023 and 2024. The negative growth seen in recent years has largely been driven by the decline of traditional translation and localization services, primarily due to the disruptive impact of Generative AI. This trend has continued to gain momentum as 2025 gets underway and is expected to persist in the coming years.

Nevertheless, 2024 witnessed significant shifts compared to 2023, which can be grouped into three major trends:

A more balanced view of AI. The initial excessive enthusiasm surrounding AI has evolved into a more nuanced perspective. There is now a broader recognition of the need to use this technology responsibly, with an understanding of its limitations (often referred to as “the wall” in reference to current technological barriers). Generative AI is increasingly being viewed not as a one-size-fits-all solution, but as a tool to for creating customized solutions.

A growing demand for human oversight. Clients’ initial belief that Generative AI could function without human supervision is gradually shifting. We are seeing an increasing demand for professional services not only to train or fine-tune large language models (LLMs), but also to audit, edit, or validate Generative AI output. In fields like translation and content creation—especially in multilingual communications—it has become clear that Generative AI, on its own, is not sufficient.

Advancements in international regulation. Legislation, particularly in Europe, is steering the conversation toward a more responsible use of AI. In some countries, regulations now require labeling content that is fully or partially AI-generated.

In this evolving context, the sector is already introducing new services, solutions, and technologies that integrate Generative AI. What once seemed like an uncertain landscape just a year ago is beginning to solidify with greater clarity. After the “tsunami” brought on by the rise of Generative AI over two years ago, the sector is finding its way toward a more balanced approach, navigating the intersection of innovation and responsibility.

January 2025

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Véronique Özkaya, Co-CEO at Summa Linguae Technologies

AI continues to disrupt the data services and localization industries, fueled by the extraordinary speed of technologicalp rogress. Staying ahead requires agility and a willingness to experiment with emerging technologies, and it has become harder to plan for long-term.

The future of AI-driven solutions lies in quality: quality of data to fine-tune LLMs and quality of datasets to enhance machine translation (MT). High-quality data will determine competitive advantage and enable organizations to deliver consistent, reliable output across services.

While foundational models are powerful, they thrive on domain-specific insights. Deeper Subject Matter Expertise (SME) is critical to optimize these models, address industry-specific nuances, and unlock higher value for customers. This will be a challenge for all: finding very deep expertise, combined with the understanding of how machine learning operates and evolves.

Re-engineering the business to focus on AI scalability is imperative. 2024 was still very much a year of experimentation and "proof-of-concept" projects. In 2025, whether it's building better pipelines for data acquisition or creating hybrid workflows with human-AI collaboration, the goal is to adapt to the pace of change without compromising on quality or integrity.

2024 was a pivotal year. By anchoring strategies on quality and expertise, we can turn the wave of AI-driven change into a springboard for growth.

January 2025

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Stephan Lins, CEO at MediaLocate

Is AI Disrupting Itself?

Last year, the conversation was all about AI replacing traditional translation and localization roles. This year? AI is coming for AI. The real battle isn’t just about adopting AI—it’s about which AI survives. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google DeepMind’s Gemini, and Meta’s LLaMA may have just met their match with DeepSeek’s R1… and there’s no telling what’s next. Is AI outpacing itself before we’ve even fully adapted?

New AI platforms, tools, and features are emerging at breakneck speed, tempting companies to go all in. But jumping in too soon can lead to costly dependencies on technology that may be outmaneuvered before it delivers real value. So how can LSPs and buyers harness AI’s potential while avoiding the trap of technology lock-in?

At MediaLocate, we stay ahead by being tech-agnostic. We integrate multiple technologies, develop custom automation features tailored to real-world needs, and leverage both in-house expertise and partnerships with top-tier providers. This keeps us—and our clients—agile, able to scale, and cost-efficient in a rapidly shifting AI landscape. Adaptability is the key to longevity, and in the race of AI vs. AI, flexibility wins.

January 2024

Chris Menier, CEO of Transifex

2024 has been a pivotal year for the localization and language technology industry. With the rapid adoption of AI-driven tools, we’ve seen companies shift their focus from manual workflows to solutions that prioritize speed, scalability, and automation. The industry’s embrace of large language models (LLMs) has redefined what’s possible, enabling faster translation cycles and more nuanced understanding of context. However, this evolution has also highlighted the growing need for transparency and trust in AI-generated outputs, particularly in ensuring translation quality.

One major success has been the growing awareness that quality must be measured by “fitness for purpose” rather than unattainable perfection. Metrics like the MQM framework and AI-driven quality indices are becoming the standard, allowing businesses to align translation quality with their specific needs.

At the same time, the challenges are clear. Many organizations are grappling with how to integrate these advanced tools into existing workflows without creating complexity for their teams. Balancing automation with human oversight remains a delicate equation, especially as expectations for speed and cost efficiency rise.

As we look ahead, it’s crucial for the industry to continue focusing on workflows that enhance collaboration, provide transparency, and scale intelligently. At Transifex, we’ve embraced these principles, and we look forward to being part of the solutions that define the next chapter of localization innovation.

January 2025