There’s a lot of talk about AI in interpretation right now. Some of it is exciting. Some of it creates confusion.
Speech technology has come a long way. We’re seeing real-time captions, multilingual voiceovers, and live translation become more common. But somewhere along the way, people started to assume that AI can handle everything — even interpretation.
In this blog, we’re unpacking a few common misconceptions. We’ll look at where AI works well, when human interpreters are still essential, and how organisations are using both to deliver seamless multilingual experiences.
Let’s start here, because it’s the most common. AI can do some incredible things. It can:
Convert speech to text
Translate that text into dozens of languages
Voice the result in another language, almost instantly
That sounds like interpretation. But it’s not the same.
Interpretation is about more than just words. It’s about understanding the speaker’s tone, their intent, and the cultural context. It’s about reacting in the moment to unexpected turns, humour, and subtle cues.
AI doesn’t fully grasp that. It converts language, but it doesn’t truly understand meaning. That gap is especially important when it comes to high-stakes events, sensitive discussions, or anything that requires real nuance.
So, no, AI doesn’t interpret. But it can still be incredibly useful.
Related: Want to know more about the key differences between interpreters and AI? Read our article on Interpreters vs AI - the key differences.
This one’s been turned on its head.
AI is actually helping many organisations lower the cost of delivering interpretation, especially for:
Internal meetings
Town halls
Training sessions
Webinars and online events
The addition of AI technologies is extending the opportunities to speak their attendee’s language allowing companies to consider the use of AI-powered speech translation services in an array of events. This shift enables organisations to reduce costs traditionally associated with in-person interpretation services such as interpreter travel, equipment, and onsite coordination. In fact, some Interprefy customers have reduced their interpretation costs simply by using AI for the language pairs where it makes the most sense.
This used to be true. Not anymore.
Today, AI-powered speech translation tools are designed to be simple to set up and easy to use. Interprefy works directly with platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Webex, which means you can activate speech translation or captions in just a few clicks.
There’s no complicated hardware to install, and no need to redesign your event setup.
And if anything does go wrong, our support team is on hand to help — before, during, and after your event. So you’re never on your own.
It’s not a matter of choosing between AI or human interpreters for your entire event. It’s about choosing the right approach for each session and each language pair.
In some cases, AI-powered speech translation is the right choice. It’s fast, affordable, and delivers solid results, especially for presentations and lower-risk content.
In others, a professional interpreter is still the better option. That’s especially true for complex topics, live panels, or anything where tone and clarity really matter.
At Interprefy, we give you the tools to offer both — without adding friction to your workflow or compromising the audience experience.
Related: Want to see how AI and humans can work alongside to make a massive event a total success? Read our latest company news on Interprefy Powers the World’s First 25-hour Multilingual Worship Event with RSI and AI.
Not quite. But that’s not a drawback — it’s just a reminder that tools work best when we use them well.
AI helps make interpretation more accessible, more affordable, and easier to deliver at scale. And when paired with professional interpreters where it matters most, it supports richer, more meaningful communication.
That’s what we’ve been helping organisations achieve for over ten years. And we’d be happy to help you do the same.