When your event brings together people speaking five different languages, how can everyone share ideas in real time? The answer is simultaneous interpretation (SI), a process that lets audiences hear a speaker’s words in their own language almost instantly.
In this article, you’ll learn:
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What simultaneous interpretation is and how it works
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Why organizations use it for multilingual meetings and events
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The benefits (and trade-offs) of doing it remotely
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What drives the cost of these services
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How to decide if it’s right for your event
What is Simultaneous Interpreting?
Simultaneous interpretation is the process of converting spoken language into another language as the speaker is talking. Unlike consecutive interpretation, where the speaker pauses for translation, SI happens in real time with just a few seconds’ delay.
This makes SI ideal for large conferences, international summits, global business meetings, and live broadcasts where the conversation must keep flowing without interruption. Let’s take the United Nations General Assembly as an example. Simultaneous interpreters are vital for these meetings since people from different linguistic backgrounds participate in this event.
Simultaneous Interpreters
Simultaneous interpreters are highly skilled language professionals who specialize in simultaneous interpretation. They have native proficiency in the languages they speak, possess a strong understanding of the subject matters being discussed, and can accurately convey complex information that captures cultural nuances.
How Does It Work?
At its core, simultaneous interpreting is a high-wire act of listening, processing, and speaking—all at once. Here’s the flow:
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The speaker talks in the source language.
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The interpreter listens closely, catching meaning, nuance, and tone.
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Within seconds, the interpreter reformulates the message into the target language.
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The audience hears the interpreted message through headsets, apps, or conferencing platforms.
The delay is often less than two seconds. Skilled interpreters train for years to achieve this level of focus and agility.
Imagine listening to a keynote in Mandarin while instantly hearing it in English; that is the power of SI.
Remote Simultaneous Interpretation (RSI)
Traditionally, interpreters worked on-site in soundproof booths with specialized audio equipment. Today, cloud platforms can deliver remote simultaneous interpreting (RSI) to meetings and events.
With RSI, interpreters connect from anywhere, audiences listen on headsets or mobile devices, and organizers avoid costly hardware setups. This makes SI more flexible and scalable, especially for hybrid and virtual events.
Benefits of RSI include:
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Lower costs compared to on-site booths
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Faster setup and fewer logistics
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Access to a wider pool of professional interpreters
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Easy scaling for global virtual events
Watch: Our VP Explains Remote Simultaneous Interpretation
Remote simultaneous interpretation can sound complex in writing, but it’s much easier to grasp when directly explained. In this short video, Andrea Baccenetti, VP of Strategic Initiatives at Boostlingo, breaks down how RSI works.
Why Is Simultaneous Interpretation More Expensive?
Simultaneous interpreting requires two interpreters per language pair for any event longer than about 30 minutes. That’s because the cognitive load is so intense that interpreters must alternate every 15–30 minutes.
Other cost factors include:
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Expertise: SI interpreters are highly trained specialists.
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Technology: Platforms and equipment must support clear, low-latency audio.
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Duration & languages: More time and more languages = higher staffing needs.
- Travel and lodging (for onsite events): When interpreters need to be physically present, organizers cover airfare, accommodation, and per diems in addition to service fees.
Yes, SI is an investment, but it’s often the only way to keep complex multilingual events running smoothly without losing momentum.
Challenges and Trade-offs of RSI
RSI isn’t without its hurdles:
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Connectivity issues can disrupt sessions if the bandwidth is unstable.
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Mission-critical settings (like certain legal or diplomatic events) may still require on-site interpreters.
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Cost sensitivity can be a barrier for smaller organizations.
Acknowledging these challenges builds trust and helps you plan realistically.
Real-World Example: WSBI-ESBG’s Conference with RSI
When WSBI-ESBG hosted its World Congress with hundreds of participants across five languages, it faced the classic obstacles of cost and complexity: booths, travel, and interpreter logistics. By using Boostlingo’s Remote Simultaneous Interpretation platform, it eliminated those barriers and instead delivered seamless, real-time access to speeches and slides in each participant’s native language.
The result was both practical and inspiring; interpreters could work remotely, the events team saved time and resources, and attendees felt fully included. As WSBI-ESBG’s communications advisor said, interpretation is no longer a difficult decision but “just part of our event package.”
AI Tools for Live Translation at Events
Today, AI-powered translation tools are beginning to handle forms of simultaneous interpretation by processing speech in real time and delivering near-instant captions, translations, and speech to event audiences. While they cannot yet match the nuance of trained human interpreters, they are becoming a practical option for certain use cases where speed and cost are top priorities.
JotMe offers an AI interpreter that handles AI translation for meetings in 77+ languages. Learn more other AI tools available for live translation at meetings and events here.
Real-World Example: Dansk IT 2,000 Person Keynote in Three Languages with AI
Hans Ravnkjær Larsen, Chief of Events, explains how his team used AI-driven captions and audio to make their 2,000-person conference multilingual, affordable, and easy. In this short video, he walks through the setup, the attendee experience, and why Dansk IT now sees AI translation as a practical part of its future events strategy.
Read the full Dansk IT Case Study here.
The Future of Simultaneous Interpreting
As workplaces and events become increasingly global, demand for SI, RSI, and AI interpreting will continue to grow. Advances in cloud infrastructure and AI will help interpreters work more efficiently, but the human skill of capturing nuance, tone, and cultural meaning will remain indispensable.
Key Takeaways
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Simultaneous interpretation delivers real-time communication across languages.
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Remote simultaneous interpreting reduces cost and complexity while expanding access.
- AI tools are beginning to handle forms of simultaneous interpretation, processing speech in real time into captions, translations, and speech itself.
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It requires specialized interpreters and careful planning, but transforms multilingual events from fragmented to cohesive.
If you’re planning a multilingual meeting or event, explore how Boostlingo Events can help you deliver professional simultaneous interpretation without the technical headaches.
Speak with one of our experts to learn more about Boostlingo Events today.
