The explosion of alternative interfaces in new technologies is having a disruptive effect for content creators. They aren't sure which design or even what structure to use for their content. Content traditionally has been text, and when print became digital text, we all adjusted. But nowadays, content more and more frequently is audio, video, notification, augmented reality, or virtual reality, among other formats. Some companies are even experimenting with delivering content on device interfaces via touch and smell. Screens are getting smaller, or disappearing entirely, and wearable computing is just beginning its market expansion. But Language Service Companies (LSCs) localize content. What effect will these new types of content have on our industry? Will there be less content for traditional LSCs to fight over? Is this a disruption, an innovation, or simply a new sub-segment?

1. Is the
Internet of Things
Bad for the
Language Industry?
Is the
Internet of Things
Bad for the
Language Industry?
ALC 2014 Annual Conference | May 18-21
#ALCconf
@ALC_US
Chris Carter
@CyWhisp

2. CONNECTEDWhat is the
Internet of Things?
It has many names:
• Internet of Things
• Internet of Industrial Things
• Digital Things
• Web of Things
• Internet of Everything
When people think
of it, they think of
things that are
“connected”.

3. CONNECTED
WIRELESS
It also includes
things that are
wireless.

4. CONNECTED
WIRELESS
SENSORS
Or sensors. Sensors
collect information
about the physical world
around them and turn
that into digital data.

5. CONNECTED
WIRELESS
SENSORS SMART
Or “smart” things.
Smart things use the
intelligence of the
internet to perform
actions faster, better,
or even to make
choices on their
own.
The word smart has
been hijacked by many
marketing departments,
however, to describe
things that are simply
connected.

6. INTERNET
OF THINGS
All of these
make up the
ecosystem
known as the
Internet of
Things?

7. There are four types of devices where we will see user interface / content.
Devices we already know and have. Devices using connectivity in new ways.
Devices we know, but are newly connected. Completely new devices.

8. 50-200 BILLION
connected things. Today, in 2014, there are less than 9 Billion.
Different researchers estimate by the year 2020, there will be
Most of those things will just be sensing and not have a user interface.

9. 50-200 BILLION
BIG CONTENT
If even only a small percentage of those 200 Billion things has UI, that is still
If you think you are in the language services industry, you are not.
You are in the content industry.
If it has content, you can transform it for a different audience.
Gartner predicts
by 2020,
$300 Billion in
direct revenue
from IoT.
International
Data Corp.
predicts by 2020,
$9 Trillion in halo
effect on entire
economy.

10. I brought a friend to help me show how the
Internet of Things (IoT) will impact
the language services industry.

11. Just an ordinary refrigerator, Fridgie hopes to one day be
an internet connected, smart refrigerator.

12. Just like Fridgie, we will find
obstacles on our path into this
IoT future.
• Increased machine translation
• New file formats and ‘intelligent content’
• Smaller word counts
• More voice control (no need for UI)

13. Just like Fridgie, we will find
things on this path which we can
use – if we’re smart – to get
ahead of the competition.

14. • More content
• More transcreation
• More cultural consulting
• Be first to specialize in IoT

15. Just like Fridgie, sometimes the challenge is something you brought
with you, something inherent to who you already are.
• Most LSPs are behind on
machine translation
• Most LSPs are bad at
technology and working
with digital UI formats
• Most LSPs still use some
basic version of TEP,
which is seen as the “old”
way to do translation

16. Just like Fridgie, some of the characteristics
unique to you are not a shortcoming, but
actually a competitive advantage.
• Existing traditional solutions
will still be needed
• Know your competitive
advantages
• Know your differentiator, USPs

17. OBSTACLE
ADVANTAGE
SHORTCOMING
LUCKY BREAK
THREAT
STRENGTH
WEAKNESS
OPPORTUNITY
This whole time we’ve really been talking about …

18. THREAT
STRENGTH
WEAKNESS
OPPORTUNITY
S
W
O
T
… an old-school SWOT analysis.

19. THREAT
STRENGTH WEAKNESS
OPPORTUNITY
MT
New Formats
Smaller Word Counts
Voice Control
More Content
More Transcreation
More Consulting
Specialize
MT Skills
Localization Expertise
“Old Way”
Same Still Needed
(Your USP)

20. Despite the hype, there will be some barriers to adoption of the
Internet of Things ecosystem, and it’s going to be messy.
• Change is slow
• Technical constraints
• Security
• Fear (by the general public)
• Weak design

21. A few industries to keep an eye on:
Marketing, Retail, Automotive, Gaming,
Manufacturing, Communications, Healthcare, Security

22. Thank YouThank You
Chris Carter
&
Fridgie