In this special solo episode of The Multilingual Content Podcast, Undertow’s founder Nicola Calabrese takes the mic to talk about one of the biggest shifts happening in localization today: AI.

There’s a lot of noise around AI replacing localization teams. But what’s actually happening inside real localization programs? And what does AI truly change when companies expand globally?

In this first part of a two-episode series, Nicola explores how AI is transforming localization workflows, where it creates real value, and why strategy, orchestration, and human expertise are still essential for building effective localization programs.

Rather than replacing people, AI is acting as a multiplier—automating repetitive tasks, accelerating workflows, and allowing teams to focus on higher-value work that actually drives global growth.

In this episode, we discuss:

🔹 Why AI won’t replace localization teams and why human expertise is still critical

🔹 Where AI actually adds value inside localization workflows today

🔹 How AI helps automate repetitive tasks so teams can focus on strategic work

🔹 The evolving role of translators in AI-assisted localization programs

🔹 Why strategy and orchestration matter more than ever in global content operations

🔹 Unexpected AI use cases in localization, beyond machine translation

🔹 The growing talent gap in localization and why skilled linguists will become even more valuable

Nicola also shares insights from conversations with localization leaders at major tech companies about how AI is already being implemented inside large localization programs—and what smaller companies can learn from these approaches.

If you're building or scaling a localization program, this episode will help you understand where AI fits, where it doesn’t, and how to think about localization in an AI-driven world.

🎧 In Part 2, Nicola will go deeper into the practical side and explain how to design a scalable, AI-powered localization program, including workflows, processes, and governance.