How partnerships between language companies and sports teams enable inclusivity By Scott Swanson For sports fans who are Deaf or who speak a language other than the primary one used in the stadium, the sensory richness of a live game is diminished without dedicated support. The author challenges sports organizations to embrace comprehensive language services in order to truly connect with their entire fan base.

By Claudio Fantinuoli The author argues that future AI interpreting systems will learn from not only human-generated examples, but also their own experience interacting with environments, generating data, and discovering solutions beyond existing human knowledge.

By Johan Botha African language service providers don’t need to catch up — they can leap ahead. The author argues that Africa’s specialized language models, culture of collaborative entrepreneurship, and emphasis on human-centric design can launch the continent to the forefront of the localization industry.

Interview by Cameron Rasmusson As an outdoor sports enthusiast and lover of languages, Martina Russo eventually combined her two passions into a specialized localization agency for action sports brands. She and her team strive to ensure their clients speak authentic lingo regardless of regional differences; after all, when lives can depend on choosing the right gear and following accurate instructions, quality counts.

Challenges and innovative approaches By Martina Russo The quickly evolving nature of action sports language poses unique challenges for translation professionals who must capture not only literal meaning but also cultural context and authentic community voice — all while upholding the technical precision that ensures clarity and safety. The author, who is profiled in this issue, details innovative translation and localization strategies that can also be applied to other industries with quickly evolving vocabularies.

By Katie Botkin Despite some unique challenges, sports localization offers many intriguing possibilities for language companies going forward, particularly in emerging sports. This article provides an overview of some of the most exciting opportunities in today’s sports localization landscape.

By Chandan Kumar In a multilingual nation like India, language can function as both a celebratory performance of identity and a mechanism for exclusion. The author highlights intensifying linguistic conflicts across India in the age of mass media and argues that linguistic politics must be conducted with care, sensitivity, and an awareness of India’s deep pluralism.

By Tim Brookes Alice Mazzilli practices a graffiti-like visual art form called jamigraphy — or jamming with calligraphy — that combines writing, painting, music, and movement. This article tells her story while exploring the value and beauty of imperfect handwriting.

"World Ready" is the new name and mission of GALA's annual conference. The Executive Director, Allison Ferch, explains this significant conceptual change in this episode.We discuss why the industry must move beyond AI hype to manage new complexities, and how the new “Ready” framework (Tech, Market, People, Risk) provides a path forward. Get an inside look at the GALA World Ready 2026 conference in Berlin and find out why the ultimate goal is to provide “direction, hope, and inspiration.”

What happens to the language industry’s talent pipeline if MIIS’s Translation & Localization Management program shuts down? In this episode of Localization Today, we speak with Prof. Eva Klaudinyová—Program Chair of TLM at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies—about the program’s legacy, STEM-driven curriculum, and why its alumni are so job-ready across Big Tech, LSPs, and public institutions. We unpack the enrollment and policy headwinds facing graduate education, how MIIS has kept pace with industry through constant curriculum updates, and what a three-to-five-year talent gap could look like. Eva also outlines parallel efforts to keep the program alive—either by preserving MIIS or relocating TLM to a new academic home—and shares concrete ways the community can help, from statements of support to exploratory conversations with potential host institutions.    

What does it take to ship products that feel local everywhere? In this Localization Today episode, host Eddie Arrieta talks with Anna Albinson, CEO of Gridly, about the “Localization Triathlon”: AI for speed and scale, automation for flow and reliability, and humans for creativity and cultural fit. We dig into connected workflows (one source of truth instead of silos), the rise of the orchestrator role, and lessons Gridly carried from gaming into SaaS, fintech, and edtech. 

In this episode, we sit down with Vassilis Chamalidis, CEO of Alpha CRC, a company at the forefront of combining deep tech with human collaboration. He shares a powerful vision for the “augmented human,” a professional equipped with an ecosystem of AI tools to work faster, smarter, and more consistently. We explore where to embrace automation and where human expertise, cultural nuance, and true creativity must always lead. This is an essential guide for anyone looking to build a sustainable and successful future in the language industry.

By Iryna Modlinska When expanding into new markets, brands that introduce centralized control over multilingual content grow with greater consistency and confidence. This article presents an actionable plan for developing a localization framework that gives brands direct control over messaging, enabling them to communicate technical and design differentiation that justifies premium pricing globally.

By Brian McConnell Based on his experience helping technology startups build localization programs, the author shares common pitfalls that emerging companies often encounter when localizing their products — and presents strategies for avoiding them. He concludes with a call to language service providers to appeal to emerging businesses early in their development.

By Manuela Rosso-Brugnach and Laÿna Droz By exploring how different linguistic traditions frame human relationships with the natural world, the authors illustrate how language influences our views on sustainability and argue that embracing multilingualism has tangible impacts on how environmental challenges are addressed.

How three siblings transformed linguistic talent into tech influence — and grew without growing apart By Jose Palomares Originally from Peru, Karla, Karina, and Kathy made their way to the United States and eventually reached the top of the localization industry. This is their story: one of resourcefulness over resources, of lifting while climbing, and of proving that sometimes the most revolutionary act in business is refusing to succeed alone.

By Belén Agulló García and Carme Mangiron Universal design aims to create environments and products that are usable by as many people as possible, regardless of age, size, ability, disability, or background. The authors argue that universal design in video games should be an intrinsic part of creating an excellent user experience rather than an afterthought.

By Jace Norton The author discusses the role of AI in Indigenous language access, arguing that AI has little practical value for Indigenous language interpretation largely because Indigenous and other low-resource languages lack the massive datasets needed for AI to function effectively for interpretation and translation.

By Ewandro Magalhães Prompted by his own experience of co-authoring an article with AI, the author explores a “fourth type of translation” — that between human and machine. He considers the protocols for AI collaboration: At what point does assistance cross into ghostwriting? When does augmentation become abdication?

Explore how Pinterest and RWS collaborate to deliver culturally resonant user experiences worldwide. Moderated by Eddie Arrieta (CEO, MultiLingual Media), the discussion features: Francesca Di Marco – Head of Internationalization, Pinterest Maureen Lalaymia‑Phillips – Program Director, RWS Group Hear their strategies for best practices, effective collaboration, and the future of global UX.