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AI Localization Podcasts

AI in localization: What could possibly go wrong? (podcast)

In this episode of the Content Operations podcast, Sarah O’Keefe and Bill Swallow unpack the promise, pitfalls, and disruptive impact of AI on multilingual content. From pivot languages to content hygiene, they explore what’s next for language service providers and global enterprises alike.

Bill Swallow: I think it goes without saying that there’s going to be disruption again. Every single change, whether it’s in the localization industry or not, has resulted in some type of disruption. Something has changed. I’ll be blunt about it. In some cases, jobs were lost, jobs were replaced, new jobs were created. For LSPs, I think AI is going to, again, be another shift, the same that happened when machine translation came out. LSPs had to shift and pivot how they approach their bottom line with people. GenAI is going to take a lot of the heavy lifting off of the translators, for better or for worse, and it’s going to force a copy edit workflow. I think it’s really going to be a model where people are going to be training and cleaning up after AI.

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CCMS CMS Content management Content pitfalls Headless CMS Learning content LMS Podcasts

Tool or trap? Find the problem, then the platform

Tempted to jump straight to a new tool to solve your content problems? In this episode, Alan Pringle and Bill Swallow share real-world stories that show how premature solutioning without proper analysis can lead to costly misalignment, poor adoption, and missed opportunities for company-wide operational improvement.

Bill Swallow: On paper, it looked like a perfect solution. But everyone, including the people who greenlit the project, hated it. Absolutely hated it. Why? It was difficult to use, very slow, and very buggy. Sometimes it would crash and leave processes running, so you couldn’t relaunch it. There was no easy way to use it. So everyone bypassed using it at every opportunity.

Alan Pringle: It sounds to me like there was a bit of a fixation. This product checked all the boxes without actually doing any in-depth analysis of what was needed, much less actually thinking about what users needed and how that product could fill those needs.

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DITAWORLD 2025

Online event, June 3rd—5th

June 4th panel discussion: Empathy is not a prompt

Risks and Chances of Technical Content Services in an AI-first World

In an era where AI is reshaping how we create, deliver, and consume technical content, what remains uniquely human? Join moderator Stefan Gentz and industry experts Sarah O’Keefe, Bernard Aschwanden, and Markus Wiedenmaier as they explore the evolving role of empathy, ethics, and human judgment in content services.

This session will dive into the promises—and pitfalls—of AI-driven automation in tech comm. From content accuracy and bias to transparency, user trust, and the subtle nuances of tone and intent, we’ll examine what AI gets right, where it falls short, and how content professionals can shape a future that’s both efficient and empathetic.

Whether you’re embracing AI tools or cautiously navigating their rise, this panel will offer grounded insights and bold questions to help you lead with clarity in an AI-first world.

Register for DITAWORLD 2025 to hear Sarah speak in this live panel discussion!

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Case studies CCMS CMS Content management Replatforming Structured content

Your tech expertise + our CCMS knowledge = replatforming success

Is your team skilled in navigating your current CCMS, but unfamiliar with the system you plan to adopt? During a recent replatforming project, we worked with a team of in-house experts to build out a new CCMS. The combination of their domain expertise and our replatforming experience was a big success. The client is now self-sufficient and thriving in their new CCMS environment.

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