Localization Today

By Carol Velandia

A right doesn’t have to be legally repealed to be lost forever; all it takes is a failure by the people to insist it is upheld. And when it comes to a person’s right to professional language access, many don’t know it exists in the first place.

The localization industry is undergoing a massive transformation, shifting its focus from simple language conversion to comprehensive content orchestration.

In this new episode, Eddie Arrieta sits down with Allison Ferch, Executive Director at GALA, to discuss why the industry is "shifting left" and integrating deeply into product development and content creation layers. She unpacks the intense margin pressure facing freelance linguists and explains why true community is absolutely essential during these challenging times.

Leaders from across the gaming and localization industry come together to move beyond the debate over whether AI is simply “good” or “bad” for games. We will explore where AI can deliver real value in game localization, why generic AI tools often fall short, and what it takes to build technology around the unique worlds, characters, terminology, and creative intent of a game.

Last year, the localization industry was swept up in the sheer hype of AI disruption. This year, the focus has shifted from revolution to reality. In this episode Gabriel Karandyšovský, editor-in-chief of Argos Multilingual's Global Ambitions publication, provides an exclusive preview of their 2026 edition: Meaning Making.

He discusses the industry's growing awareness of AI limitations, the pushback against "AI slop," and why organizations are finally asking the tough questions about ethics, risk management, digital sovereignty, and why the real differentiator over the next five years won't be the ability to produce words.

For many organizations, accessibility has traditionally been viewed as a compliance requirement—a box to check to meet regulations. But as digital experiences become more multilingual and AI-driven, accessibility is evolving into a strategic component of global inclusion.

In this episode Viviana Bernabé, who leads interpreting and accessibility at WeLocalize, discusses the challenges of the industry's over-reliance on automated widgets and overlays, explaining why tools that only catch code-based errors fail to duplicate the experience of users relying on assistive tech. We explore why proper accessibility requires profound cultural nuance—from how regions treat disabilities to their preferences for captions versus dubbing. 

How do we build a system that works not only for large organizations but also for the independent interpreters and small language service providers that communities depend on every day? In this episode, we sit down with Marisa Gillio, founder and CEO of Language Link Corporation and the visionary behind Interpreting Works.

Marisa argues that language access is an ecosystem challenge. She explores how small LSPs and independent interpreters can leverage collaborative technology to compete with massive corporate language providers without losing their autonomy or connection to the community.

An everything everywhere all at once
business model
By Viveta Gene and Rodrigo Fuentes Corradi

Given the complexity of AI systems, it can be a struggle to ensure that systemic visibility, transparency, and information availability are readily accessible. But Knowledge Graphs provide a true everything everywhere all at once solution, linking the connective elements in
any project.

By Mimi Moore

Blending her experience as a high-level athlete with executive expertise, Mariana Quintanilla manages complex language operations for international tournaments. She builds essential communication frameworks that connect athletes, officials, and fans across the world’s biggest stages.

Interpreting at the speed of the Gulf
By Matteo Ippoliti

Providing language services for high-stakes sporting events in Asia, like the AFC Champions League and Games of the Future, which took place in Jeddah and Abu Dhabi, respectively, requires human skill, local expertise, and rapid adaptability under intense, constant pressure.

By Dhiraj Aggarwal

The Indian sports streaming scene is booming. India’s many languages and cultures mean that translation and localization are non-negotiable for success in this sector. But just how is this done? This article lays out the landscape and explores some strategies that have worked.