MONTEREY, Calif. — Executives are eager for AI-powered interpretation, but most of their organizations currently lack the oversight needed to ensure quality. That's the key finding from a proprietary survey released by LanguageLine Solutions, the world's leading provider of on-demand language access.
LanguageLine's Executive Survey of AI Usage paints a picture of organizations preparing for AI-powered interpretation rather than implementing it. As of August, only 6.2% of organizations in the survey reported currently using AI-assisted interpretation.
While participants expressed strong interest in the prospect of AI interpreting for the spoken word, the report found that most organizations currently lack formal processes to monitor performance and ensure accuracy.
“Executives see AI interpretation coming in the future and they’re optimistic,” LanguageLine President and CEO Simon Yoxon-Grant said. “But they're still trying to figure out how to evaluate and monitor it. They’re asking if they can trust AI in the kinds of complicated, high-stakes conversations people actually have.
“As the complexity of a conversation increases, so does the risk for all involved, including greater potential liability for the organization. This is why oversight of AI interpreting is such an important topic.”
LanguageLine supports the majority of Fortune 100 companies, 17 of America's 20 top hospitals, and thousands of government agencies across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The company facilitates more than 87 million interactions each year. In August, LanguageLine was named the world's top language services provider by CSA Research.
The survey gathered responses from 113 professionals responsible for language access, operations, customer experience, clinical services, and technology. More than 70% were senior leaders.
"These executives share our excitement about the future of AI interpretation," Yoxon-Grant said. "But they still need confidence that it will work as intended and not introduce unseen risk. They’re asking, ‘Can I trust AI interpreting today when it’s used in my specific environment, where there’s crosstalk, industry terminology, and emotion?’”
Key Findings
The survey’s findings suggest organizations are preparing for a future in which AI interpreting plays a larger role, while in the present most lack the frameworks needed to govern it responsibly.
Quality is the leading concern: More than seven in ten respondents (71.7%) identified interpreter quality as a top concern. Yet confidence remains uneven. Nearly one-third of respondents said they are not fully confident their organization can consistently ensure quality, safety, and compliance across multilingual interactions.
Most organizations recognize the need for quality monitoring but lack formal processes: Nearly all respondents (94.7%) said consistent quality monitoring is important. However, 34.5% reported having no formal process to evaluate multilingual communication quality. Instead, many organizations continue to rely on anecdotal feedback to identify problems after they occur.
AI adoption remains limited: Just 6.2% of respondents said their organizations are currently using or AI-assisted interpretation. Another 6.2% say they are currently piloting an AI interpreting solution.
Leaders want unified visibility into multilingual communications: More than eight in ten respondents (83.2%) said it would be valuable or extremely valuable to have a single view of quality, compliance, and performance across multilingual communications.
The full report can be downloaded here.
About LanguageLine Solutions
Founded in 1982, LanguageLine is the world's leading provider of interpretation services and a global leader in language access solutions. The company offers professional interpretation in more than 270 languages via phone, video, and onsite delivery, as well as written translation, localization, and testing and training for bilingual staff and interpreters. With a global network of more than 36,000 interpreters, LanguageLine is committed to enabling communication and fostering understanding every day of the year.
