The Rise in Demand for Live Interpreting of Virtual Events

One of the major trends in business events and meetings in recent years has been a shift away from business travel to web conferences, and a resulting expansion of real-time interpreter services. These enable participants from around the world to interact, learn and share ideas in their native language during virtual sessions. 

Taking as an example the complex field of life sciences, it’s easy to see why virtual interpreting has become more popular in recent years. The intricate, specialist vocabularies, the plethora of industry acronyms, and the subtle variations in emphasis and audience-specific nuances can trip up even native speakers. 

Add to the picture the potential impact on patient safety – which leaves little tolerance for misinterpretation – and the demands on healthcare professionals’ time, and the need for high-quality interpretation becomes clear.

• Virtual events have driven a surge in demand for real-time interpreter services.
• Specialized industries, like life sciences, benefit from interpreters with subject matter expertise.
• Technology advancements now allow seamless multilingual participation in remote settings.

Interpreting Technology Advancements

Key Takeaways:

• Simultaneous interpretation is now possible in fully remote settings.
• Technology ensures high security, low latency, and user-friendly experiences.
• Automated systems allow on-demand access to interpreters with specific credentials.

The Evolution of Simultaneous Interpretation

Not long ago, simultaneous interpretation was delivered mainly on-site. Today, advanced technology replicates professional conferencing equipment, enabling multilingual meetings with real-time interpretation remotely. Each participant can interact and listen in their preferred language.

Selecting the Right Interpreter

Systems now allow meeting organizers to select interpreters based on meeting type, industry, or specialization. For example, in healthcare, you can choose interpreters by therapeutic area or surgical specialty.

Maximizing International Meetings

Key Takeaways:

• Demand is rising for interpreters who are also subject matter experts.
• Virtual events require interpreters to be well-briefed and rehearsed.
• Providing interpretation in attendees’ native languages boosts engagement and inclusivity.

Beyond customer-facing interpretation, there is growing demand for highly skilled interpreters with industry expertise. As companies expand globally, access to specialists in more languages is expected. Well-prepared interpreters help attendees feel comfortable and confident, fostering engagement across cultural divides.

The Value of Live Interpretation

• Live translation is crucial for contexts like change management or introducing new ideas.
• Remote meetings are more effective when language barriers are removed.
• Global corporations are investing in professional interpreter services for virtual events.

Multilingual Health Hotlines

Key Takeaways:

• Live interpretation is essential for call centers serving diverse patient populations.
• Patients are more comfortable discussing health in their native language.
• AI can connect call center agents to interpreters quickly, improving service quality.

The Role of Interpreting in Healthcare Hotlines

Interpreters are indispensable for pharma companies and healthcare providers to help patients access services and advice in their own language. Highly trained interpreters bridge the gap between call center agents and patients, ensuring clear communication and better health outcomes.

The Progression of AI Solutions in Interpreting

Key Takeaways:

• AI interpreting is suitable for less critical content where some imperfection is acceptable.
• Machine-based solutions are valuable for organizations with limited budgets.
• AI-powered live interpreting is already being used for multilingual product launches and internal training.

Where AI Interpreting Fits

While professional interpreters are vital for high-stakes scenarios, AI interpreting is effective for internal training and non-critical communications. AI and machine translation capabilities continue to improve, making them a practical choice for many organizations.

AI Interpreting for Virtual Events

Key Takeaways:

• AI interpreting offers instant, scalable translation for large virtual events.
• It enables real-time multilingual participation, especially where speed and coverage are priorities.
• Human interpreters remain essential for nuanced, sensitive, or high-stakes discussions.

As virtual events become the norm, AI interpreting is increasingly used to provide real-time translation for webinars, conferences, and global meetings. AI can support multiple languages simultaneously, making events more accessible and inclusive. However, for sessions requiring deep subject expertise, cultural nuance, or confidentiality, human interpreters are indispensable. The future of virtual events will likely see a blend of AI and human interpreting, ensuring both efficiency and quality in multilingual communication.

Meeting Tomorrow’s Interpreting Needs Today

Key Takeaways:

• Demand for specialist interpretation services is growing as business practices evolve.
• A global network of certified interpreters ensures high-quality service across disciplines.
• Ongoing investment in technology and training is key to meeting client expectations.

Acolad leverages a global network of language professionals to deliver high-level interpreting services. Regular training and assessment ensure interpreters remain at the top of their field, ready to meet the needs of clients in a rapidly changing world.