Effective communication across languages is crucial for successful collaboration and understanding in our interconnected world. Language barriers pose a significant challenge during in-person meetings, conferences, and events where participants come from diverse linguistic backgrounds. However, not every organisation has the financial resources to afford traditional in-person simultaneous interpretation services.
In this blog post, we'll explore innovative and cost-effective alternatives that can help bridge language gaps without breaking the bank.
Remote Simultaneous Interpretation (RSI)
RSI offers many advantages and it revolutionises the way we break language barriers.
By leveraging technology, RSI allows interpreters to work remotely, eliminating the need to fly them to the event venue or rent expensive interpretation booths. This significantly reduces costs and allows more organisations to access language interpretation services, making communication seamless and inclusive for diverse audiences. Moreover, it's not just a cost-saving measure but also an eco-friendly one, as it slashes unnecessary CO2 emissions associated with travel.
Top advantages of RSI
- Professional interpreter conveys the speakers' message in a different language so the audience has the same interpretation experience as with in-person interpretation;
- Reduced costs: no accommodation costs and no need to rent interpreting booths as the interpreters work remotely;
- Added flexibility: You have the freedom to easily add or remove interpreters as needed and at shorter notice, providing you with greater flexibility compared to traditional in-person interpreting assignments;
- Fewer carbon emissions: no need to fly interpreters or transport cumbersome equipment;
- Scalability: it works in in-person, hybrid, and virtual events. It integrates with over 80 virtual meeting platforms and your audience can also get it on their mobile phones or traditional interpretation receivers;
- Unlimited languages available: interpreters can be sourced globally so chances are you will find the language you need;
- Fully managed service: the right RSI provider will take care of everything with project management and remote support so that you can concentrate only on the content of your event.
Top use cases for RSI
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International conferences: Imagine your company or organisation is running a large conference or seminar with participants from various countries, where speakers are invited to share their expertise on specific topics. With RSI, your attendees can join from around the world and communicate seamlessly in their native languages, while interpreters translate the content remotely. Discover how the Inter-Parliamentary Union reduces carbon emissions using RSI.
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Press conferences: Imagine you are doing an international press conference where the speaker speaks only English but journalists and the audience are from all over the world. With RSI, you can get your press conferences translated in real time, just like UEFA did.
- Virtual events: Your company is hosting a global town hall meeting for all its employees. RSI ensures that language barriers don't hinder engagement, ensuring your teams can fully understand the updates from company executives or industry experts. Discover how UCT ran multilingual fire chats for their employees with Interprefy.
Useful resource
Cost comparison RSI vs traditional in-person simultaneous interpretation
AI speech translation
AI Speech Translation is a different approach to traditional simultaneous interpretation. Unlike RSI, which relies on interpreters to convey meaning, AI Speech Translation aims to provide complete translations of spoken content in real-time. By harnessing the power of advanced artificial intelligence algorithms, this solution eliminates the need for human interpreters, making it a highly cost-effective option. It also boasts rapid deployment, making it ideal for urgent or time-sensitive events where language barriers can't wait.
Top advantages of AI speech translation
- It offers a complete translation of the original speech, leaving interpretation to the audience;
- Reduced costs: the live translation is done with AI so no interpreters cost are associated;
- Reduced administration: no need to source interpreters, brief them or secure a video feed of the speaker or the venue;
- Quick set-up: because of the point above, the solution is fairly quick to set up and it allows you to add new languages last minute or even during the event itself;
- Scalability: the right AI speech translation provider will be able to deliver it to over 80 virtual meeting platforms as well as via mobile app or traditional interpretation receivers.
Top use cases for AI speech translation
- Multilingual training: Rather than having several training sessions or sourcing trainers or interpreters in the languages of your audience, AI speech translation can deliver your training in any of these languages in just a click.
- Webinars: Imagine you are launching a new product and you want to expand your business across borders. Thanks to AI speech translation you can now have your webinars translated in real-time with AI, allowing you to reach a much wider audience at a very affordable cost.
- Business meetings: Cross-border collaborations and negotiations just got easier thanks to AI speech translation. You and your team will be able to have meetings with anyone around the globe while speaking and listening in your own language.
Useful resource
Article: Best practices for successful multilingual meetings using AI speech translation
Multilingual live captions
Multilingual Captions offer an alternative approach to accessing information in real-time. By providing live captions in multiple languages, individuals can read the translated content in their preferred language, increasing accessibility and inclusion in meetings and events. This solution is not only budget-friendly but also beneficial for individuals with hearing impairments or those who prefer visual aids for better comprehension.
Top advantages of live multilingual captions
- Live written translation of the spoken content of your meeting or event;
- Stand-alone solution or in combination: live captions help you bridge language barriers whether you use them alone or in combination with AI speech translation or RSI;
- Reduced costs: The solution is powered by AI so it's much more cost effective than others;
- Added accessibility: Live captions are a great accessibility tool for people with hearing impairments;
- Increased comprehension: Reading helps to memorise and comprehend things better so it's also a great tool for those who do understand the language of the speaker.
Top use cases for live multilingual captions
- Broadcasting and web streaming events: By providing multilingual captions during live broadcasts and web streams, media companies can enhance viewer experience and attract a broader audience.
- Government and corporate meetings and events: In official government events and briefings, multilingual captions promote inclusivity, allowing citizens and employees from various linguistic backgrounds to stay informed.
Check our client's story: Using AI multilingual captions to boost employee engagement
- Educational settings: Multilingual live captions are valuable in educational settings, facilitating language learning and ensuring all students can follow the content regardless of their mother tongue.
Useful resource
Blog article: Why you should consider using captions for your next event
Conclusion
Language barriers should never hinder communication or inclusivity. With these cost-effective alternatives to in-person simultaneous interpretation, organisations of all sizes can embrace multilingualism and foster meaningful connections with diverse audiences. Embracing remote technology and AI-driven solutions opens doors to a world without linguistic limitations, where understanding and collaboration thrive. If you want to seize these opportunities to build a more inclusive and interconnected global community, get in touch.
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