TechGist05

This is a guest post by Luigi on his further thoughts on blockchain in the localization industry. He asks some fundamental questions that should provide readers a good reality check on blockchain stuff you might see at a conference or read in an industry journal. He also points to almost new technology that might really matter for this industry NOW, i.e. interactive virtual assistants (IVAs). The momentum on this is building as we speak, and for the most part, the industry is being swept aside from any relevance with it, as so few are even barely aware of it. This is a new and better way to serve digital customers, a way to improve the overall digital experience, a way to more efficiently serve the right content to the right customer at the right time. This is where CX meets DX and where competitive advantage can be built for digital transformation strategies. But everywhere I turn, I see naysayers. Localization people tend to look for volume and efficiency, and very few look for value...

This is a guest post by  Dr. Peggy Peng, CEO, and  Founder of the LIC Foundation describing her vision for blockchain in the translation industry and providing an initial overview on the blockchain initiative that she is leading. I saw her present the overall vision of  LIC in some detail at the TAUS conference, and I thought it would be interesting to hear from a proponent of the technology who believed enough in the technology to fund it herself. From those who are enthusiastic about blockchain, I hear the refrain that it is a way to build a trusted network and reduce the control of oligarchies which rule almost every high-transaction-volume industry in the world today. Thus we could eliminate very low-value middlemen in a system e.g. the need for lawyers and title insurance agencies in a real estate transaction for example. However, this means that no central authority exists or develops in this new world, and the system is truly independent of controlling forces. How...

 I recently attended the TAUS Annual Conference, where " current language technology and collaboration" is the focus. And indeed it has historically been the best place to talk about technology in the "language industry".  It was very clear that in addition to MT, edit distance and error classification on MT systems output are also REALLY important to this community.   Blockchain alternatives were presented as the most revolutionary new technology at this event, since the buzz on NMT has subsided a bit, but I have always wondered if it is really possible to really get truly revolutionary if your primary focal point is "localization".   I say all this not out of any disregard, but somewhat triggered by Chris Wendt (Microsoft) and I sharing thoughts on our motivations on staying with MT after all these years, and our shared angst about when we as a community would (if ever) start talking about "real" MT applications. I am quite sure that we were bo...