Beyond the AI Hype: What Does it Really Mean for Localization?

If there’s one topic that’s dominating every conversation around localization right now, it’s artificial intelligence. Amid all the hype, it’s hard to believe AI only really hit the mainstream in 2023 with the launch of generative tools like Chat GPT. Businesses rushed to get on board, with many seeing AI as the silver bullet that would solve their time and budget challenges.

As the pace of change continues to intensify, the prospect of buying localization services becomes more bamboozling. Where could AI most benefit your business? And which tools can you trust to deliver the quality you need?

It’s a pivotal moment for our industry. And at Rubric, we see some excellent opportunities to make use of AI and LLM (large language models) in smart ways to support our clients.

From cooks to chefs: A turning point for the language industry

Back in February, we hosted a fascinating round table discussing the past, present, and future of AI in localization. Arle Lommel from CSA Research summed it up:

“We’re at a point where language professionals have to shift from being cooks to being chefs… They’re not just trying to cook up a tasty dish of words, they have to be using all the technology and running the kitchen.” – Arle Lommel, Senior Analyst, CSA Research

At Rubric, we guide our clients through this complex landscape.

Feeling confused about when to use AI?

With so much excitement around AI, it can be hard to know if it’s the right choice for your localization projects, or where it could add most value.

We help you evaluate your content based on the value it generates, and then define an appropriate localization solution. Where that involves AI or machine translation (MT), we find a way to integrate it safely and seamlessly.

MT quality and reliability continues to improve, but the biggest change for us in 2024 has been the emergence of effective MT training tools, which outperform raw MT. This enables our clients to invest in human translation for their highest-value content, and leverage that to create custom MT engines for other pieces—increasing volume without compromising on quality or budget.

Under pressure to get your product to market faster?

Localization is often treated as a bolt-on—a separate step once all your content is finalized. At Rubric, we show clients how integrating localization into their development pipeline is far more efficient and helps you get your products to market faster and with less effort.

2024 has seen record investment in Rubric’s pipeline tools, from workflow management to quality evaluation and MT/AI training. Our bespoke tools enable us to work with any translation management system, providing agile, customized, and cost-effective solutions for clients.

Do you need to do more with less?

When time and money are tight, improving source quality can make a big difference to your localization efforts. We can use AI to identify similar source content and standardize it for easier translation.

Further down the pipeline, AI tools can highlight discrepancies and improve translation quality. They can also simplify regional adaptation—for example, enabling French clients to connect with a Canadian audience, without paying twice for translation.

Even video—previously the most resource-intensive channel to localize—is now within your reach. AI transcription tools efficiently prepare spoken source content for translation, while text-to-speech (for voiceovers) and even AI avatars are becoming increasingly realistic.

An evolution—but still human at the core

While AI is a powerful tool, it still requires human accountability—our blog about evolving AI legislation outlined ongoing concerns including reliability, security, and ethics. That’s why it’s critical to work with a trusted partner who understands this technology and can help you use it safely and effectively.

Our expert project managers are central to Rubric’s human-at-the-core service, and AI progress is enabling our clients to maximize their budgets and get more from their localization spend. We guide you to a content solution that works for your company, bringing in the right tools at the right time:

“We continue to invest in workflow optimization so that as AI services mature, we’ll be ready to plug them in at any stage of the localization pipeline.” – Dominic Spurling, Rubric IT Director

Rubric has always embraced technology to help our clients work smarter, and AI is no different. It’s one more tool our team can use to give you a better service.

Under pressure to implement an AI solution but don’t know where to start?

It’s easy to say “just use AI”, but as we’ve outlined here it’s important to look beyond the hype and work out where the tools could add most value for you.

Are you wondering where to start with AI? Talk to Rubric—we can guide you to a solution that’s right for your business.

If time is of the essence, we can help get your products to market faster. Ask us about using AI to streamline your localization pipeline, eliminate delays and keep costs under control.

Do you need to get more from your localization budget? AI could be part of the solution, and Rubric can help you work smarter—without compromising on quality. Get in touch with our friendly team today.