From direct integrations of phone and video interpreting into Electronic Health Records (EHR) to unrolling AI in consecutive (one-to-one) interpreting, the interpreting services industry is in for a fast-paced, innovative year. Advancements in interpreting technology are making services more interconnected and easier to access than ever. As 2025 approaches, three trends are driving changes to how language interpreting services are delivered. Whether you’re a Language Service Provider (LSP) or someone who relies on interpreting services to serve clients, understanding these trends will help you find the best solutions for your language services needs in 2025.
Trend 1: EHR Interpreting Integrations
Remote interpreting has always been about connecting people anytime, anywhere. While tools like Zoom and Teams have made accessing remote interpreting easier, this year will bring integrations of interpreting directly into Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems. These platforms for managing patient records are becoming centralized solutions for care needs—and now include telehealth features for real-time interpreting services. Until now, telehealth platforms have struggled to offer interpreting, leaving providers to fumble with awkward workarounds like sending external links to separate apps.
Big changes are starting. Take Boostlingo’s integration with athenahealth—it lets healthcare providers call up on-demand interpreting services right within the athenahealth EHR. No extra tools, no switching platforms, no juggling apps. This kind of built-in feature is a huge win for streamlining workflows and making it easier to focus on what really matters: providing quality care to patients.
This is just the beginning. In 2025, we’ll see more examples of interpreting becoming an integrated part of healthcare solutions. These integrations will simplify the experience for providers, and make sure patients get the care they need—without the tech headaches.
Trend 2: Reality Sets for AI in Interpreting
Artificial Intelligence (AI) made significant strides in 2024, especially in simultaneous interpreting applications. AI tools now offer automatic transcriptions, meeting summaries, and even speech-to-speech features within Remote Simultaneous Interpreting (RSI) platforms. Event organizers, for instance, can easily provide captions in multiple languages, making multilingual events more engaging for diverse audiences.
While AI is currently being used for large-scale scenarios like conferences, it currently struggles in more nuanced settings. For example, in medical or legal discussions, where cultural understanding and ethical judgment help improve the outcomes of conversations— humans excel. In these cases, AI works best as a support tool, enhancing rather than replacing professional interpreters. Looking ahead, expect more AI-driven features like live transcription and translation summaries to be included in on-demand interpreting products. These tools will complement human interpreters and improve meeting productivity for those who work with interpreters to serve clients.
Trend 3: The Core of Human Interpreting Shines
As AI tools and new technology become more common, the unique strengths of human interpreters are shining brighter. Skills like cultural sensitivity, emotional intelligence, and ethical judgment remain irreplaceable, particularly in healthcare, the justice system, and education, where interpreters often handle sensitive conversations.
With AI tools becoming more common, the unique strengths of human interpreters are standing out. Cultural sensitivity, emotional intelligence, and ethical judgment simply can’t be replaced.
The interpreting profession is rising to the challenge of working alongside AI in a way that keeps the human touch front and center. For starters, we’re seeing new legislation and best practice guidelines that protect the human role in interpreting. These efforts are all about making sure AI works as a helpful, not harmful tool. If you’re curious to learn more, check out our eBook on How to Decide Between Human and AI Interpreting.
At the same time, interpreters are stepping up to embrace AI as part of their toolkit. Training programs are evolving to include AI-focused lessons, and there’s been a notable increase in workshops and conferences aimed at helping interpreters master the new technology. On the flip side, language service providers (LSPs) are doing more to educate clients about what AI can (and can’t) do in interpreting. These efforts are helping everyone navigate this exciting but sometimes tricky new territory.
And let’s not forget the ongoing research into how large language models (LLMs) can support human communication in critical areas like healthcare and education. Researchers are working hard to figure out how AI can enhance, not diminish, the quality of interpreting in these essential fields.
In the end, it’s all about balance: letting AI take its place in the communication loop while making sure it doesn’t overshadow what makes human interpreters so special. This collaboration is shaping the future of interpreting—and it’s looking bright!
Moving Onto Next Year
The interpreting industry in 2025 will be shaped by software integrations, advancements in AI capabilities, and a renewed appreciation for human interpreters’ irreplaceable strengths. While technology will drive efficiency and expand access, human linguists will remain the cornerstone of trust and reliability in interpreting services.
Boostlingo is here to help you navigate these changes. Our technology empowers LSPs and organizations that rely on interpreting services to stay ahead while delivering exceptional service.
Want to learn more about these trends? Watch our Boostlingo Year in Review 2024 webinar, available on demand, to see how these shifts are transforming language access.
