# 211 How Many Translation and Interpreting Jobs Will There Be in the Future?

New Section

The conversation begins with a discussion about an upcoming event in London and the excitement around it.

Discussion on London Event

• Esther and Florian discuss the upcoming Slater con event in London with over 150 attendees.

• Florian mentions the convenience of not having to travel far for the event, reminiscing about using the tube during his time in London.

• Urgency is emphasized to register for the event as there may be a possibility of selling out soon.

US Government's View on Language Jobs

The focus shifts to the US government's perspective on language jobs and their stance on AI in translation and interpreting roles.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics Perspective

• The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a steady rise in translator and interpreter roles by 2032, indicating a 3% to 4% annual growth.

• Despite advancements in AI, traditional definitions of translators and interpreters remain unchanged according to BLS estimates.

• Challenges arise in defining roles amidst technological advancements like large language models impacting job landscapes.

Challenges Faced by Translators

The conversation delves into challenges faced by translators regarding job titles and evolving job descriptions.

Evolving Job Titles

• RWS CEO suggests transitioning from "translators" to "language experts," reflecting broader responsibilities beyond traditional translation tasks.

New Section

In this section, the discussion revolves around job estimates in the translation and interpretation industry over a ten-year period.

Contrarian View on Job Retention

• The estimate of 3,000 new jobs over ten years may have already been fulfilled.

• There is uncertainty about future growth in the industry.

• Emphasis on retaining existing jobs rather than solely focusing on creating new ones.

New Section

This part delves into the core roles of translators and interpreters within the industry.

Core Translator and Interpreter Roles

• Debate regarding the increase in core translator and interpreter jobs.

• Importance of traditional training for professional translators and interpreters.

• Concerns about potential overemphasis on technology at the expense of linguistic expertise.

New Section

The conversation shifts towards balancing technological advancements with fundamental language skills in translation.

Balancing Technology and Language Skills

• Highlighting the necessity of maintaining core language training alongside technological skills.

• Emphasizing the importance of human input for linguistic accuracy.

• Discussing the role evolution from translator to editor to proofreader in traditional workflows.

New Section

Exploring challenges faced by editors in ensuring quality translations within the industry.

Challenges Faced by Editors

• Editor role historically held by experienced translators.

• Frustrations with quality assurance processes leading to repetitive corrections.

• Lack of iterative learning through human feedback hindering improvement in translations.

New Section

Transitioning to a discussion on job openings for interpreters and translators, particularly due to retirements.

Job Openings for Interpreters and Translators

• Mention of 7,200 annual job openings for interpreters and translators.

• Anticipated increase due to retiring professionals.

• Acknowledgment of higher average age among individuals in these roles compared to other professions.

Machine Translation and Growth Strategies

The discussion revolves around the utilization of machine translation for unlocking content, driving growth, and expanding internationally. The CEO emphasizes the importance of machine translation in achieving human-level quality.

Machine Translation as a Growth Driver

• Machine translation is used to unlock English content for international growth.

• The CEO highlights machine translation as a growth driver to investors.

• Emphasis on accelerating international growth through translating the entire corpus.

Human-Level Quality in Machine Translation

• Large language models (LLMs) enable human-level quality in machine translation.

• Discussion on LLMs potentially outperforming narrower models.

Impact on International Growth and Social Networks

• Machine translation seen as a significant unlock for international growth by social networks like Reddit.

• Reflecting on the historical use of multiple languages in platforms like Facebook over time.

Strategies and Tools for Content Generation

Delving into strategies employed by companies like Reddit and Adobe, focusing on machine translation tools and AI dubbing capabilities.

Reddit's Growth Strategy with Machine Translation

• Reddit's decision to prioritize machine translating content as a key growth strategy.

• Reflecting on the timing of implementing machine translation strategies compared to other platforms like Facebook.

Adobe's Content Generation Tools

• Utilization of Firefly from Adobe for text-to-image content generation.

AI Dubbing Innovations

Exploring advancements in AI dubbing technologies by Adobe and Microsoft Edge, hinting at generative audio and video editing capabilities.

AI Dubbing Teasers by Adobe

• Teasing generative audio features within Firefly suite for audio and video editing purposes.

Microsoft Edge's Overlay Feature

• Microsoft Edge browser introducing an overlay feature for generating content.

Language AI Update

In this section, the discussion revolves around advancements in language AI technology, particularly focusing on voice dubbing and translation features.

Language AI Advancements

• Microsoft Edge browser offers an AI feature for voice dubbing over YouTube videos based on the speaker's gender.

• Edge browser integrates AI for voice dubbing over YouTube videos, with reported issues of instability. The supported languages include German, Spanish, Hindi, Russian, and another unspecified language.

Mergers and Acquisitions Updates

This segment highlights recent mergers and acquisitions within the language services industry.

Recent Mergers and Acquisitions

• Argo Translations acquires Global Accent Translation Services to expand into market research and outdoor goods translation sectors.

• Language Wire acquires WHP International in France for sector expertise in software, e-learning tech, XML content architecture standard.

• Jeff Norby joins Argo as a senior account executive post-acquisition of Global Accent Translation Services.

Industry Acquisition Insights

Delving deeper into recent industry acquisitions and their strategic implications.

Strategic Industry Acquisitions

• Language Wire acquires WHP International for its expertise in software, e-learning tech, XML content architecture standard.

• WHP International's proprietary technologies will be integrated into Language Wire's systems post-acquisition.

Media Localization Developments

Focuses on media localization developments within the industry landscape.

Media Localization Trends

• TransPerfect acquires Content Lab, a South Africa-based media localization firm specializing in multiple languages including Zulu and Afrikaans.

• Content Lab emphasizes English language talent alongside global client service offerings.

Corporate Restructuring at Super Text USA

Discusses corporate restructuring initiatives at Super Text USA following a spin-off from its Swiss parent company.

Corporate Restructuring Details

• Super Text USA undergoes a spin-off from its Swiss parent company to form "We Are Very," led by Ronaldo Dier and Christy Sakai.

Financial Performance Overview

The discussion revolves around the financial performance of a company, focusing on revenue, pre-tax profit, and various business divisions.

Revenue and Profit Analysis

• Revenue for the period was $436 million with a pre-tax profit ranging from $45 million to $56 million. This reflects a 4% decline in revenue compared to the first half of 2023.

• Adjusted pre-tax profit experienced a decline of about 177%, attributed to weaker performance in higher-margin businesses.

• Language Services faced challenges due to an unfavorable mix of work, impacting profitability.

Business Growth Prospects

The conversation shifts towards discussing growth opportunities within specific business divisions and areas of optimism for future development.

Growth Areas and Optimism

• IP Services and Language Services showed growth in both divisions on an organic constant currency basis.

• Language and Content Technology (LNCT) division along with Regulated Industries witnessed revenue contraction during the first half.

• Promising outlook highlighted for Data Services, Linguistic Validation, and Evolve - a new linguistic AI solution bundling various technologies.

Evolve Product Discussion

Delving into the features and potential benefits of the Evolve product offering within the company's portfolio.

Features of Evolve

• Evolve integrates multiple technologies like MT, Trados, and AI into a cohesive linguistic AI solution.

• Potential simplification through standardization suggested for better user experience.

Upcoming Events Preview

A glimpse into future events such as podcasts with guests and preparations for Slater Con.

Future Plans

• Possibility of another podcast next week featuring a guest speaker.