Hey forward-thinking translators,
Ever notice how, when people get spooked, they tighten their grip instead of thinking smarter?
That’s what we’re seeing right now in the industry. LSPs aren’t embracing the future… they’re trying to ban it.
AI and MT aren’t creeping up anymore—they’re here. But some LSPs are reacting like deer in headlights. New clauses show up in contracts: no private AI, no MT, and if you do post-editing, you’ll be lucky to get 30% of your usual rate. Unless, of course, you produce magic.
At first glance, this looks like a quality play. A “we care about standards” move.
But look closer. It’s not really about quality. It’s fear in a trench coat.
These companies are afraid of losing control. Afraid of paying for tech-driven work. Afraid of… change.
And yet, they’re missing the plot entirely.
Because the real innovation? It’s not coming from committees. It’s coming from the translators themselves.
That’s you.
You’re not just surviving AI—you’re mastering it. You’re testing. Iterating. Improving workflows. Using tools like CotranslatorAI to boost speed and quality. You’re not looking for shortcuts. You’re looking to raise the bar.
But when LSPs clamp down with restrictive AI policies, they don’t stop innovation. They just push it underground.
So translators run smarter workflows quietly. Keep gains to themselves. Work out of sync with the agency. Everyone loses alignment. No one wins.
Here’s the irony: the very policies designed to “preserve quality” end up blocking the very progress that could deliver it.
The real issue isn’t AI. It’s the assumption that AI = lower value.
That’s just wrong.
What clients really want is confidence. That the work is good. That it’s done right. That they’re not being taken for a ride.
And that comes from transparency. From collaboration. From translators stepping up to show—not just say—how this new wave of tech can enhance, not erode, standards.
This is your moment.
Don’t go rogue. Don’t go silent.
Instead, share your methods. Show your results. Let clients and agencies see what’s possible when translators lead the AI conversation.
Because here’s what’s really at stake:
If the only people talking about AI are vendors with something to sell… and LSPs with something to protect… then the conversation will be driven by fear or hype.
We need a third voice.
A voice rooted in practice. In care. In results. That voice is yours.
Let’s not wait for permission.
Let’s build new norms, together.
I’d love to hear your take on this. Are you seeing the same AI resistance where you work? What policies are you running into? How are you responding?
Let me know. If you’ve found a smart way through, others will want to hear it too.
Until next time, stay sharp out there.
Steven
