Lionbridge Technologies, LLC (Lionbridge), a global translation and localization services provider, is using Microsoft Azure and Azure OpenAI Service to accelerate its delivery times and improve quality. Lionbridge seized the chance to work with open-AI technology rather than against it, improving agility and offering hyper-personalization with LLMs. Since launching its AI-enabled solutions, which use GPT-4 on Azure OpenAI Service, Lionbridge has reduced project turnaround times by up to 30%. In the process, the company is disrupting the localization industry and creating a host of new business opportunities.
Lionbridge Technologies, LLC (Lionbridge), a global translation and localization services provider, is using AI to deliver hyper-personalized content in multiple languages, helping its customers to foster an intimate connection with global audiences and freeing up employees’ time by automating and streamlining various workflows.
As AI and large language models (LLMs) started to become available in the content creation space, Lionbridge seized the opportunity to expand its use of AI and disrupt the landscape of translation and localization services. Instead of viewing LLMs as a threat, Lionbridge realized that these models could serve as the foundation for improved offerings for clients and more efficient workdays for employees. Using Microsoft Azure technology and the advanced GPT-4 model available through Azure OpenAI Service, Lionbridge modernized its content services to better serve its global customer base.
Realizing the need for faster and more agile localization services
Founded in 1996, Lionbridge combines the best of human and machine intelligence to support large companies around the world with content creation, content testing, and translation and localization services. As online tools connect people globally, Lionbridge customers have grown to expect localization support that keeps pace with accelerating content life cycles—without sacrificing quality.
Lionbridge has long been a leader in adopting new technology to support innovation in the localization space. In fact, the company has used Microsoft Translator since the service’s inception more than a decade ago. While human and machine translation remain vital for its core business, innovative technologies like AI and LLMs offered Lionbridge new opportunities to streamline workflows and customize output for distinct use cases. “We are typically early adopters of new technology because we work with some of the most innovative companies in the world,” says Richard Tobin, Chief Operating Officer of Lionbridge. “About a year ago, we tested opportunities to use AI and pivoted to say we’ve got to be all in on AI now.”
Lionbridge turned to Microsoft to help it provide faster, more agile translation and localization solutions that could be easily adapted for different purposes and audiences. Azure OpenAI Service had the capability and scale to support Lionbridge. “At present, GPT is the strongest model, and Microsoft offers the best path for an enterprise to work with GPT,” says Marcus Casal, Chief Technology Officer at Lionbridge.
Reducing turnaround times by up to 30% with Azure OpenAI Service
In 2023, Lionbridge began developing its solution with Azure OpenAI Service. The company’s initial goal was to reduce routine daily tasks so that employees could focus more on providing quality services and innovative solutions.
Lionbridge quickly deployed GPT-4, a large multimodal model that collects data from text and images, to help employees translate and localize content more efficiently. Within nine months, Lionbridge implemented new workflows for hundreds of customers. “We already have more than 500 customers using AI to help with content optimization, and we’re getting that content to market with high efficiency and quality,” says Tobin. “We’ve reduced turnaround times by up to 30% and cut days or hours off delivery.”
The scalability of Azure OpenAI Service has also helped Lionbridge enhance its capacity. In less than a year, the company has dramatically increased the number of tokens—small units of data, such as characters or pieces of words, an LLM uses to process language—that it can handle, going from hundreds of tokens per minute to more than 1.5 million tokens per minute. To scale further, Lionbridge is also deploying provisioned throughput units in Azure OpenAI Service to gain an even better experience from its localization workflow.
Bringing career development opportunities to thousands of employees with GPT-4
Lionbridge has used GPT-4 and other tools to improve life not only for its customers but also for employees. “Around 70% to 75% of our more than 6,500 employees have gone through training to understand, embrace, and use new AI technology,” says Tobin. “We’re asking them what they can do to use these tools to enhance their own careers.”
Lionbridge employees are fully committed to using AI to create more efficient workdays. “All employees have an individual AI goal in their annual performance goals,” says Tobin. “We’re already implementing some of their innovations into our client workflows and solutions for better communication or to eliminate steps in our day-to-day tasks.”
With GPT-4, Lionbridge employees have developed project-specific glossaries and style guides. They have also used AI tools to flag sensitive content for human review before it’s sent on to customers. Now, Lionbridge employees can spend more time on innovative tasks, quality checks, and other meaningful work.
Lionbridge has worked closely with Microsoft to implement its new tools seamlessly so that it can maintain quality and keep up with demands. “We’ve been able to respond quickly to changes in technology because our relationship with Microsoft has helped us scale as we’ve needed new tools,” says Casal.
Moving toward an all-in commitment to AI in content localization
Lionbridge hopes to make global content more valuable and specific to people worldwide, taking translation and localization to a new level. With help from Microsoft, the company hopes to connect more people with the power of words. “We’re turning AI into not just something we do, but also a critical part of who we are, because it is so important to the value that we bring our customers,” says Casal.
The company is continuing to drive innovation in the language services space with Azure OpenAI Service. Its recently developed Content Remix App uses AI to generate fresh, targeted content derived from source material in any language. Users can tailor the output for specific purposes, like marketing campaigns, lead generation materials, or social media posts. The app helps global companies unlock new growth opportunities by empowering them to connect with diverse audiences everywhere.
Having seen the possibilities of AI, Lionbridge wants to embrace its potential, rather than work against it. “Lionbridge is all in on AI, and I think every organization needs to be,” says Tobin. “We’re helping our employees learn and grow with the power of AI, and at the end of the day, we’re helping our customers, too.”
“We’ve been able to respond quickly to changes in technology because our relationship with Microsoft has helped us scale as we’ve needed new tools.”
Marcus Casal, Chief Technology Officer, Lionbridge Technologies, LLC
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