5 Ways the Interpretation Industry is Changing

Covid-19 reshaped the world of interpretation. Some would argue for the better; others would disagree. However, we don’t think it’s as cut and dry as that. While lockdowns and remote working leveraged some aspects of interpretation, others were largely ignored, resulting in a completely new landscape. Moreover, to comprehend the bigger picture, pre-Covid-19 trends need to be considered.

Overall, this is an exciting time of change and development for the interpretation industry. Let’s find out exactly why:

Remote Interpretation

Since the dawn of telecommunications, remote interpretation has been an integral part of many industries. However, as the globally interconnected workforce widens, and people continue to choose their home offices over their “office” offices, we can expect to see a sharpening of remote interpretation tools as its popularity continues to skyrocket.

VRI (Video Remote Interpretation)

Online video calls are a mainstay of modern working life, and they mesh effortlessly with remote interpreting. Dual benefits of face-to-face interaction and on-demand interpreting make for a convenient, seamless experience that’s attractive to companies and the general public alike. 

However, a new and unforeseen use of VRI occurred when the service was turned to live streaming, enabling multilingual live streams to be broadcast to global audiences. While already in use for many large broadcasters (most notable new channels,) simultaneous interpretation had rarely escaped the confines of large business. Going forward, we can expect to see more small-scale broadcasts enjoying all the benefits real-time interpretation has to offer.

Telehealth Interpretation

As technology and online capabilities have advanced, more people demand online or over-the-phone health-related services. So naturally, proper communication of ailments or inquiries is essential to giving and receiving the best standard of care.

Cue the wave of medical health professionals and administrators seeking interpreters. This is where remote simultaneous interpreting and video remote interpreting meet.  

AI

As mentioned above, AI is kicking into action on all fronts. What was long fodder for sensational headlines has now become a reality. The interpretation industry is seeing the introduction of powered kiosks, chatbots, virtual assistants. 

Does that mean interpreters will be replaced by technology?

The simple answer: not quite. 

The longer answer: The world's most powerful computers can't perform accurate real-time interpreting of one language to another. Humans can.

Moreover, all industries experience initial shocks before adapting to AI. We expect to see a form of ‘transhumanization’ occurring in the interpretation industry, where humans work alongside AI, leveraging its speedy and accurate application for their benefit.

Service-based Shift

Convenience is competitive. So, in a red hot competitive market like telecommunication, video conferencing tools are trying their best to be all-in-one solutions. 

Of course, connecting a remote, third-party interpreter to your call or conference isn’t precisely the height of user experience excellence. As a result, evermore mainstream conferencing tools include interpreting overlays at no extra cost to their standard offering. This means clients will choose to remain on their favorite platform (MS Teams, WebEx, Zoom, etc.) and use the platform's built-in interpreting features.

But that doesn’t mean interpreters will get left behind. On the contrary, next-generation interpreting agencies will help clients customize their AI-driven services. When AI fails to finalize client inquiry, their interpreters/language assistants will connect to the end client over virtual kiosks.

And last but not least …

A growing industry

We’ll admit it, things were looking a little shaky for interpreters from 2020-2021. Then, uncertainty reigned supreme as job losses abounded. But that was then. Interpreters now can breathe a sigh of relief – their industry isn’t being left behind; it’s adapting. 

Moreover, demographics are changing in their favor. As of now, 8% of the United States population is limited English proficient (LEP). That number is expected to grow, with immigration projected to account for 88% of the United States population increase through 2065.

A career in interpretation is a bright future, thanks to the growth of globalized businesses and increased worldwide travel.

Finally

COVID-19 has brought sweeping and significant changes to the world of interpretation. Still, ultimately, as we can see from above, the transformation is the acceleration of pre-existing trends. Novel communications technologies are making interpreting available where it wasn’t before, while remote interpretation becomes the norm – it’s all to be expected. Moreover, the steady encroachment of AI technology upon the industry is no surprise. What remains to be seen is how interpreters will adapt to AI. Drawing assumptions from current trends, we expect to see interpreters not taking on a secondary role to AI but using it to shoulder the burden of tedious, resource-heavy processes, allowing them to focus on customer relations and accurate interpretation.