LocDiscussion

Thinking Outside the Box Can Be Dangerous, Especially When It Involves LangOps ?? In a slightly delayed echo to my 2018 article Sunsetting CAT, I have taken a few blows this week… literally! While memoQ’s Peter Reynolds’s open letter was addressed to the LangOps Institute, it also took a direct swing at ESTeam AB’s new LangOps Core solution. While I’m flattered by all the mentions, let’s clear something up: I have no role or financial stake in the Institute. I’m simply an early LangOps pioneer and the founder of two innovative software companies. It’s great that the Institute is moving us towards standardization and we certainly plan on submitting LangOps Core for certification. But, since you called me out, let’s talk about the future for a minute. Our industry is under stress:? rates, revenues, and valuations are tanking. Innovation in localization is no walk in the park! But was my article just a clever ploy to promote my companies? Well, the truth is far more humbling….I wrote it to impress my family. You see, we keep discussing human parity at home. And at my age, feeling old isn’t fun…especially when it’s from having to repeat myself. So, here we go again… I think we’re still asking the wrong question. Instead of debating whether NMT will ever match a human, we should be asking: Is automated translation already on par with what you typically get when outsourcing? Spoiler alert: for many projects, the answer has been "yes" for years! That realization alone should have changed everything. As they say, “Prediction is very difficult, especially when it’s about the future.” But seven years have passed, ChatGPT has kicked off an industrial revolution, and in modern workflows, traditional translation is disappearing. Quality Estimation triages content and linguists or domain experts (or LLMs) only revise. That leaves users with the question: Are feature-loaded CAT tools with legacy table views still the best UI for this task? I firmly believe LangOps is the way forward. Of course, I hear influencers and current players trying to protect the status quo: “Nothing to see here; it’s just the latest buzzword for translation”. Well, it’s not! Here’s the difference: ?? TMS asks: What can AI do for translation? ?? LangOps asks: What can translation do for AI? Sure, LangOps pioneers might get a few bruises along the way, especially when launching a groundbreaking solution like LangOps Core, but they’re the ones shaping the future. Carpe Diem! Looking forward to seeing who’s brave enough to join the ride!?

Vamos Juntos Mexico 2025 is so much more than meets the eye ??? We had the privilege of sharing some time with some of the most recognized podcasting voices in the language industry at the MultiLingual Media ad-hoc studio! You'll soon start seen some bits of this conversation, and you'll realize it's nothing you'd expect. If you are currently podcasting or looking to do it within or outside the language industry let me know, we might be able to do something amazing long term. #Podcasting #VamosJuntos2025 #Mexico

An unforgettable first day in Mexico! ?????????? From engaging conversations to a spectacular dinner, today was packed with memorable moments at Vamos Juntos. A huge thank you to Eddie Arrieta and MultiLingual Media for hosting Dieter J Runge, Jan Hinrichs ??, and me in your mobile studio for an International Localization Industry Podcast discussion that we will remember for a long time to come. It was truly inspiring to exchange ideas with such brilliant minds in the industry! We wrapped up the day with a sensational group dinner at Casa Portuguesa, surrounded by great company and even greater conversations. Thank you for a wonderful evening Roslyn Famous, Camila Sabogal Gómez, Rafael Sousa, Florencia Vita, Giovanna Carriero-Contreras, Jill Kushner Bishop, PhD, and Carol Velandia, MBA, CHI, PMP, LMSW what a fantastic way to end the day! Excited for what’s next Juntos - Association of Language Services of Latin America and the Caribbean Thank you Crowdin for letting me fly your colors!

When you step into the hotel lobby and run into a legend you’ve been waiting to meet in person for half a decade… ???????? That’s exactly what happened when I crossed paths with Jan Hinrichs ?? , the fearless leader of Beluga Linguistics and the mastermind behind LocLunch? Jan, thank you ???????????? it’s such an honor and a thrill to finally tell you in person what a huge difference you’ve made to me. The connections, the conversations, and the community you’ve built have had an incredible impact on our industry and on me personally. This is what attending a conference like Vamos Juntos is all about! Moments like these, where virtual friendships turn into real ones, and where inspiration is just around the corner….sometimes, quite literally in the hotel lobby! Thank you Juntos - Association of Language Services of Latin America and the Caribbean for bringing us together! Good times ahead!

Vamos Juntos, here I come! ?????? ?? Sitting at the airport in Dallas, waiting to board my flight to Mexico City, and I can feel the excitement building! Thank you Crowdin for sending me! Traveling has always been the heartbeat of localization, and there’s nothing like the buzz of heading to an industry event, knowing I’ll soon be reconnecting with so many friends and colleagues. After last year’s unforgettable experience in Lima I can’t wait for this year’s gathering in Mexico City! The Juntos - Association of Language Services of Latin America and the Caribbean always does such a great job! Looking forward to insightful Localization discussions, inspiring presentations, and of course, catching up in person with many of you: Charles Campbell, Alejandro Danielian, María José Alberto, Eddie Arrieta, Alex Carney, Marcela Villar, María Fernanda Lui, Jordan Evans, Roslyn Famous, Eileen Feely, Kendall Levinson, Igor Marach, David Mego, Renato Beninatto, .Anne-Marie Colliander Lind, Cristian Modesto, Dieter J Runge, Rafael Sousa, Saul Villegas Sojo, Ewandro Magalh?es, Jan Hinrichs ?? Adam Wooten, David Brackett Cecilia Maldonado, Daniel Sebesta, Philipp Mühl, Sophie Halbeisen,Nora Díaz, Ivan Escamilla Andrea Gon?alves Pinto, Virginia Careto, Hani Alotaibi, Mary Jayne McCullough Who else is en route? What are you most looking forward to at #VamosJuntos? Let’s make this another one to remember. See you soon, Mexico City! ????

Localization is evolving….are you keeping up? Discover how Knowledge Graphs will change the way we handle multilingual automation. ???????? In this clip Prasad Yalamanchi from Lead Semantics explains how AI doesn’t “know” anything, it simply predicts. It can’t verify the truth, it follows statistical likelihood. It hallucinates, sometimes convincingly. In creative applications, guessing might not be a dealbreaker. But in business-critical localization use cases, hallucinations and confabulated outputs are not an option. AI-generated content that sounds right but is factually wrong can erode trust, mislead decision-making, and even create legal and compliance risks. He then explains why Knowledge Graphs could be the solution: Unlike generative AI, knowledge graphs structure information in a way that ensures accuracy and contextual grounding. They capture relationships between concepts, entities, and facts, allowing AI to reason within a defined knowledge space rather than generating based on probability alone. Imagine an AI system that doesn’t just generate text but knows the domain it operates in, understands context, and retrieves validated knowledge instead of making up answers. That’s where Knowledge Graphs meet Generative AI, and that’s why this technology is poised to become one of the most important real-life applications in LangOps Curious? Want to see how knowledge graphs work in practice? Here’s your chance to learn: Join us for an Introduction to Knowledge Graphs with Prasad Yalamanchi at the LangOps Institute! ?? March 20 ? 10 AM New York ? 4 PM Berlin ? 7 AM Los Angeles If you’ve ever wondered how to ground AI-generated content in real-world facts, this session is for you. No deep technical knowledge required, just curiosity about where AI, language, and structured knowledge intersect. ?? Sign up and future-proof your LangOps strategy with the link in the comments ??

The best translations don’t just carry information: they carry meaning, nuance, and human connection. For a message to resonate it needs to evoke the right emotion. Translating a voice goes beyond just words! That’s how humans have the unique ability to connect through language and emotions. Artificial Intelligence is a fantastic tool, but it can never replace the magic of human touch, wouldn’t you agree? To effectively translate you need to also grasp the context in which a message is delivered. Machines have a tough time doing that because they are not sentient. Because in the end, words don’t just communicate. They make us feel…

To Unlock Localization’s Untapped SuperPowers: Maybe We Are Simply Asking the Wrong Question? ???????? For the last 2 years the language industry has been fixated on trying to figure out what role AI will play in Localization. But as Jochen Hummel, CEO of ESTeam AB and Coreon pointed out in our recent LocDiscussion we might well be looking at things from the wrong perspective: “The industry keeps asking what AI can do for localization. But I think it’s way smarter to ask: what can localization do for AI? We’re sitting on a goldmine of high-quality, structured multilingual data, data that’s essential for text-based applications across industries. The real potential isn’t about making localization cheaper or faster, it’s about leveraging our data to power the next generation of AI applications.” With LangOps the industry can become the driving force behind multilingual innovation. Instead of just optimizing translation workflows, it elevates localization to fuel everything from multilingual search and content classification to chatbots and personalization engines. LLMs need the structured, high-quality multilingual data the Localization industry is sitting on. Will we stay in the shadows, or step into a new era where localization powers the LangOps revolution? Are we ready to stop thinking in terms of translation memories and start thinking in terms of multilingual knowledge management? Companies are realizing that high-quality multilingual data is a really valuable strategic asset! Localization has a real opportunity to move Up the Value Chain and that’s precisely what we are looking to enable at the LangOps Institute as well!

Did you know Québec is tightening French language laws? Here is what it means for your business ??????? With the June deadline for Bill 96 compliance fast approaching, businesses operating in Québec face significant language law changes that go far beyond marketing materials and customer interactions. Compliance isn’t just a formality, it’s a legal, operational, and reputational imperative. Going forward, all contracts of adhesion, including employment agreements, must be provided in French first, and job postings, training materials, and workplace policies must be available in French. For job postings, if a role requires knowledge of another language, employers must justify why and document the steps taken to minimize the requirement. Furthermore, employees cannot be penalized for lacking proficiency in a language other than French. Businesses with over 50 employees must register with the Office québécois de la langue fran?aise (OQLF) and analyze the use of French in their workplace. If French is not “sufficiently generalized” in your company, you must implement an official Francization Program and submit progress reports regularly.?In June, the threshold drops to 25 employees and smaller businesses must start preparing now. Non-compliance can cost you. Fines range from $3,000 to $30,000 per violation per day, with potential permit suspensions or revocations for repeat offenders. Company directors can be held personally liable. The impact of Bill 96 extends beyond legal obligations: it’s a fundamental shift in how businesses hire, operate, and engage with employees and customers. At the LangOps Institute we can help you get prepared: On March 12th, join Anik Pelletier, C.Adm., C. Tr., for a comprehensive Bill 96 Compliance Course and gain the critical insights you need to navigate these regulations with confidence.

In this episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan Huyghe is joined by Willian Magalh?es, a Senior Content Designer and UX Writer, to dive into the intersection of UX writing and localization. Willian reveals the biggest challenges in designing multilingual experiences, how localization impacts user engagement, retention, and business growth, and why breaking down silos between teams is crucial. Available on ?? Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/dWChZX4W Spotify: https://lnkd.in/dXgk89yG YouTube: https://lnkd.in/dH-5MmQ9