SlatorPod

In this week’s SlatorPod, we are joined by Bart Maczynski, the VP of Machine Learning at Language Weaver, the translation tech brand of Super Agency RWS, to talk about the challenges and advancements in enterprise-grade machine translation (MT).The discussion delves into the distinctions between enterprise and consumer-grade MT, with challenges including data security, scalability, adaptability, user experience, and risk mitigation.Bart touches on the impact of large language models (LLMs) on the landscape, noting potential risks, such as deceptive fluency, and the need for control in enterprise settings.The VP discusses the recent launch of Evolve, an automated post-editing solution that combines auto-adaptive neural MT, machine translation quality estimation, and a secure, private LLM.Bart talks about the evolving landscape of language AI and the integration of MT into broader workflows, driven by innovations in orchestration and automation platforms.Bart shares insights into the future plans of Language Weaver, with a primary focus on bringing Evolve to the market and broadening its applications, supporting more languages, and exploring improvements and adaptations in various components.

John Tinsley, the VP of AI Solutions at language AI agency Translated, joins SlatorPod to talk about the challenges, advancements, and future directions of AI in the language industry. John shares his journey from founding machine translation (MT) pioneer ICONIC, selling it during the height of the pandemic to RWS, and now his current role focusing on connecting technology and capabilities with customer needs at Translated.He touches on the challenges of managing the noise around AI and the excitement and potential of generative AI, particularly in the context of language. He discusses the impact of large language models on translation and the challenges of multilingual content generation.John mentions the importance of having the right data for AI and highlights a new product initiative called Human-in-the-Loop. This initiative focuses on automating the process of improving MT by constantly fine-tuning it based on user feedback and human data.He also explores the dynamic landscape of innovation in the AI field, discussing the sources of innovation, the role of big tech companies, and the challenges of keeping up with the rapidly evolving research landscape.Looking ahead, John underscores the importance of ensuring enterprise readiness in MT, considering factors beyond just good output, such as fitting into existing workflows, cost-effectiveness, and scalability.

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, with Super Early Bird ending soon for SlatorCon Remote March and a save-the-date announcement for SlatorCon London, scheduled in person for May 23, 2024.Florian talks about how translation GPTs are becoming increasingly available on OpenAI’s GPT store, highlighting the ease of building these models and the payment model for creators. The duo touches on the topic of AI-generated lip-synced translations, using the example of a machine-translated speech by Argentina’s new president at the World Economic Forum and debating its ethical implications.Esther’s M&A and funding corner features the acquisition of Systran by ChapsVision, the sale of Balthasar Ltd. to Translate.One, and the USD 18 million Series B funding round by Contents.com.

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, with OpenAI recently launching its GPT store, allowing users to create their own GPT chat interfaces without the need for coding.One move that underscores OpenAI's influence in the language space is Albania's consideration of using ChatGPT for translating documents related to its EU accession bid. Duolingo is also reported to be laying off human translators in favor of relying more on AI for content curation and translation, which has seen significant user backlash.The duo talk about the challenges publicly traded LSPs faced in 2023, with none outperforming the MSCI world average. LSP stocks, including Honyaku Center, RWS, and Appen, experienced significant declines, while Duolingo's stock doubled despite its shift to AI.Esther covered key mergers and acquisitions in 2023. Lastly, the podcast highlighted leadership changes at Argos Multilingual, with Alexander Ulichnowski taking over as CEO and Joanna Weitz promoted to COO.

Vasco Pedro, Co-founder and CEO of language operations platform Unbabel, joins SlatorPod to talk about the transformative year of 2023 and its impact on the language technology landscape.Vasco discusses the AI boom in 2023, emphasizing the importance of recognizing AI as what he calls a cognitive prosthetic rather than a human replacement. He highlights the need for a new pricing model in translation and localization that accommodates AI solutions and allows for transparency, predictability, and agency for LangOps professionals.Touching on multilingual content generation, Vasco believes that while AI is making content creation easier, there is still a gap in quality between content creation and translation.Vasco emphasizes the importance of owning the entire value chain and reducing the complexity of translation processes to provide efficient solutions. He touches on some of Unbabel's features, including UnbabelMT for comparing machine translation options.The CEO outlines Unbabel's strategic acquisitions of EVS and Bablic, with the goal of expanding into new markets, acquiring clients, and integrating Unbabel's technology effectively.Vasco talks about taking part in the AI consortium in Portugal's Recovery and Resilience Plan, and how Unbabel is involved in projects such as Project Halo, which aims to develop a brain-to-computer interface for text-based communication with practical implications for conditions like ALS.When looking towards the future, Vasco emphasizes the importance of focusing on growth and continually improving the product's quality, speed, and cost-effectiveness.

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, with the release of Slator’s Pro Guide: Solution Sales for Language Service Providers and more exciting research to come.The duo talk about the latest in language AI, with OpenAI gaining traction as a potential default for machine translation, and the firing and rehiring of CEO Sam Altman. Meanwhile, the European Patent Office has denied Google's patent application for neural machine translation. The podcast explores the emergence of speech translation as a key focus for major technology companies, with Google launching Translatotron 3 and Gemini, while Meta introduces Seamless.Over in Europe, the EU Parliament announced an open competition for the recruitment of intercultural and language professionals. Paris invests EUR 2m on a speech-to-speech translation app called Tradivia to assist communications during the 2024 Olympics.Meanwhile, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to release an RFP for language services worth an estimated USD 100m.In M&A news, Esther covers notable deals, including Cloudbreak Health's sale to GTCR for USD 180m, ElaN’s acquisition of AVB Vertalingen, TransPerfect's purchase of WordBee, and XTM's acquisition of Rigi.

Jonas Ryberg, Chief Globalization Officer of Centific, joins SlatorPod to talk about the evolving language services landscape and Centific's approach to navigating the changes brought about by generative AI and large language models (LLMs).Jonas looks back on the opportunities and challenges of 2023, with the impact of ChatGPT triggering clients, who are facing budget constraints, to redefine translation quality metrics and optimize processes.Jonas sheds light on Centific's proprietary platform, Honeybee, an accelerator that integrates into clients' localization workflows through APIs. This platform harnesses generative AI to streamline processes such as content creation, assessment of style, and even provides a bot for translators to interact with instead of navigating through style guides.Jonas explores the growing trend of multilingual content generation with the advent of LLMs. He believes while the output from LLMs is promising, there is still a need for human expertise to review and refine the generated content.Looking ahead to 2024, Jonas reveals Centific's plan to bring Honeybee and JourneyMate, a customer experience tracking platform, into a SaaS-based platform, targeting both individual users with lower-cost access and custom enterprise clients.

Diego Antista, Co-Founder and CEO of GetGloby, joins SlatorPod to talk about the complexity of translating and transcreating digital ad campaigns.Diego shares a pivotal moment when he discovered that the cost of translating campaigns for multicultural audiences was a significant barrier for advertisers, leading to the creation of GetGloby with fellow former Googler, Juan Fusoni.Diego shares insights into the advertising industry, such as the role of agencies in global campaigns and the metrics advertisers prioritize to measure campaign success.Diego sheds light on the challenges of localizing keywords, particularly in languages with character limitations, and discusses how GetGloby addresses the need for consistent brand voice across various languages.Diego discusses the platform's current target segment, primarily large clients and global agencies, and outlines their plans to launch an online product for smaller advertisers.Diego explores the tech stack behind GetGloby, focusing on the use of AI, machine translation, and the development of their proprietary model called Jaga. He also highlights the importance of incorporating native reviewers for certain clients, especially in the luxury brand sector.Looking ahead, Diego shares how clients will soon be able to activate a new campaign for a flat fee of 10 dollars per month, with a credit-based model replacing the traditional cost-per-word approach.

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, with the release of Slator’s new Pro Guide: Scaling an LSP Key Account. The duo analyzed the job requirements and responsibilities for an AI Localization Analyst at Chubb, an insurance company.Florian discusses when he, for the first time, realized he briefly fell for a third-party-created video. A speech by Joana Cotar, a member of Germany’s lower house of parliament, was translated and lip-synced into English using AI. Far from being critical of her voice being cloned and her speech being machine translated without any edits, Cotar gushed about how  “wonderful” it is that her speeches are now accessible in “English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Indonesian, and even Chinese”.Florian touches on a study by Microsoft Azure researchers evaluating the performance of GPT-4 in post-editing machine translation.Esther provides updates on recent M&A and funding activities in the language industry. difuze, a Canadian media localization company, acquired WANTED!, a post-production studio, while The Translation People secured GBP 10.5 million in debt financing. Additionally, she gives a mixed financial update on ZOO Digital, Ai-Media, and AMN Healthcare.Florian concludes the episode by discussing OpenAI's release of GPT capabilities for customization. He shares his experience building a chatbot using the new feature and emphasizes the potential for creating customized language models for niche applications.

Gabriel Fairman, Founder and CEO of Bureau Works, joins SlatorPod to talk about the potential of generative AI in translation management. Gabriel shares the origin story of Bureau Works, where over the years his perspective shifted towards viewing translation as an information management challenge, leading Bureau Works to transition into a tech-enabled business.Gabriel discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by large language models, touching on issues of cost, workflow integration, and the potential for a more interactive and fluid translator-computer relationship.Gabriel rejects the idea of comparing language models like GPT to human translators, viewing them as aids to improve the human experience rather than alternatives.Gabriel Fairman explains the flexibility of Bureau Works' UI, which aims to optimize productivity and a sense of authorship, in contrast to the repetitive and frustrating nature of traditional machine translation post-editing.BWX is concentrating on simplification in 2024, introducing features like the learning terms tool, and aiming to integrate translation seamlessly into various tools and simplify project creation and management.