In a recent conversation with Event Marketer, LEO Events SVP of Strategy and VP of Production Services, Michael Dalton and Phillip Johnson, spotlighted the rising force of AI translation in B2B events.
As B-to-B audiences expand internationally and brands continue to put more emphasis on accessibility, real-time AI language translation is quickly becoming an essential tool for event professionals. From sweeping conferences to smaller internal meetings, organizations are adopting AI-powered platforms to improve engagement, streamline operations, and meet rising attendee expectations. While the technology is still far from perfect – sometimes struggling to nail tone, nuance, or industry-specific context – its rapid improvement and cost-accessibility make it a worthwhile and scalable solution for ensuring event inclusivity.
Accessibility & Cultural Relevance
One of the most significant benefits of AI translation is its ability to foster greater content accessibility and cultural relevance. By enabling attendees to experience content in their preferred languages – and even offering features like ASL support – these tools can help ensure broader participation and deeper, more lasting engagement.
“AI translation is part of our toolkit because it directly supports global engagement and our team is always eager to explore and embrace emerging technology,” Senior Vice President of Strategy at LEO Events, Michael Dalton, said. “Translation is a clear and, some might say, obvious area in which AI can deliver value and efficiency.”
Beyond accessibility, translation also carries cultural weight, signaling respect and intentionality when content is delivered in key local languages. However, successful implementation requires thoughtful planning around audience size, language needs, and session complexity, as well as features like customizable glossaries to handle specialized terminology.
A Strategic Imperative
Despite its advantages, experts stress that AI translation still requires human oversight to ensure accuracy, particularly with names, context, and nuanced messaging. Data security is another critical consideration, as these platforms process and transfer sensitive information, making compliance and vendor trust essential. Looking ahead, additional features like intelligent summaries, transcripts, and reusable content are expanding the value of these tools and the opportunities our teams have to leverage them on behalf of our client partners. While not flawless, AI translation is evolving quickly, and for brands with international audiences, it is becoming less of an option and more of a strategic imperative.
Get the full story in Event Marketer, with LEO’s experts weighing in.