The Boostlingo team attended ALC’s 22nd Summit in Montreal from September 11th to the 13th, where the atmosphere was vibrant and reflective among attendees. Many visited Boostlingo’s booth to learn more about our solutions and the new Boostlingo Learn beta program that aims to fill the gap in the marketplace for remote interpreter training for over-the-phone interpreting (OPI) and video remote interpreting (VRI) teams.
For language service providers new to interpretation, the conversation at our booth often centered around how Boostlingo can help them expand into interpretation services to grow revenue. With AI reshaping translation, many companies are eager to explore how interpreting services can fill the gaps in their service offerings. We also discussed how our platform uses automation and AI routing to increase operational efficiency, reduce costs, and future-proof businesses for a time when AI becomes even more capable in the interpretation space.
Keep reading to discover key highlights from Boostlingo’s time at ALC.
Moving Beyond the AI Hype Cycle
One of the biggest takeaways this year was the maturing conversation around AI in language services. Two years ago, discussions were dominated by excitement around AI, but with little clear direction. Today, the focus has shifted to how AI can expand access and enhance existing language services, while still relying on the essential core of language services, which require human linguists. At Boostlingo, we fully embrace this more thoughtful approach.
“Boostlingo sees AI as a powerful tool to expand language access, but we recognize its limitations, especially in sensitive industries like healthcare and legal services. But AI has broad applications outside of just speech-to-speech technology, we can leverage AI to build features our customers want, like transcripts, for example, and build AI tools to help human interpreters increase their knowledge and skills. As for AI interpreting, it is growing in capability, but there are critical nuances—such as tone, sarcasm, and emotional context—that AI has not mastered. Therefore, we maintain that human interpreters are irreplaceable in high-stakes scenarios. However, for lower-stakes, simpler interactions, AI has potential, and we are actively exploring how to integrate it responsibly while always prioritizing safety and compliance.”
Bryan Forrester, Co-Founder and CEO, Boostlingo
Learn more about how AI can help in interpreting at our upcoming webinar.
New eBook Coming Soon
To continue this important conversation, we’re thrilled to announce the upcoming release of our new eBook, How to Decide Between AI or Human Interpreting, written by Katharine Allen. This guide will offer a practical framework for understanding how AI can be integrated into interpreting workflows. Keep an eye out for the launch soon!
Cross-Pollination Between U.S. and Canadian Markets
An exciting trend at ALC 2024 was the growing collaboration between U.S. and Canadian language services markets. This cross-pollination is still in its early stages, but it presents significant opportunities for the future. Many companies are exploring how they can expand into new markets while ensuring they maintain compliance with differing regulations.
Katharine Allen’s session tackled this complexity by discussing the ethical and practical challenges remote healthcare interpreters face in working across borders. The feedback from attendees was fantastic, and it’s clear that addressing these challenges is key to expanding the global language services workforce.
Looking Ahead
A big thank you to the Association of Language Companies for hosting such a fantastic event, and to all the attendees, speakers, and panelists for their contributions.
“We always come away from ALC Summit further educated, inspired, and full of fresh insights. It’s events like these that remind us how our work makes a tangible impact in people’s lives, and as a company, we learn more about how to support our partners by using technology to advance language access for all.”
Elena Isshiki, Director of Customer Success, Boostlingo
We look forward to continuing these important conversations and shaping the future of language services together! If you’re interested in expanding interpretation services, learn more about becoming a Boostlingo partner today.
