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As with 2023, 2024 began with more apprehension around the relevance of human interpreters in light of AI speech translation gaining traction among early adopters. And as providers of both human and AI-powered language accessibility solutions, we are once again starting a new year with the same response: human interpretation isn’t going anywhere.
In fact, 2024 has shown us that the role of quality language interpreters has only grown in importance. If anything, AI is furthermore driving new business opportunities to the human interpretation sector and introducing new sectors to a solution they knew little about before.
If you’re looking for a deep-dive into what happened in AI speech translation market last year you can check out our guide to ‘The 10 Most Important Statistics & Breakthroughs in AI Speech Translation from 2024’. For now though, let’s explore what the data from 2024 is telling us about the future direction of human interpretation in an industry apparently ‘dominated’ by AI.
2024: A Record Year for Human Interpretation?
Hang on, this wasn’t meant to happen. And yet, the numbers don’t lie. Here are the 12 most important data points and developments in the human interpretation field from 2024, alongside our insights into what was behind them:
Market Size and Growth
1. The global human interpretation services market grew from $9.25 billion in 2023 to $11.6 billion in 2024, representing a year-on-year increase of 25.5% (Statista). This growth was particularly evident in sectors like international conferences, government services, and healthcare, where the demand for real-time, high-quality interpretation services remains critical (The Business Research Company).
Key Users & Industry Adoption
2. Government & Legal Services: In 2024, 48% of U.S. government agencies reported using human interpreters for critical meetings, court cases, and public hearings to comply with accessibility mandates (National Language Service Corps).
3. Healthcare: Over 55% of healthcare facilities in the U.S. reported increased use of human interpreters to support patients with limited English proficiency (Health Affairs). The rising need for specialized medical interpreters has led to more formalized interpreter certification programs.
4. Corporate and Education: 62% of multinational corporations surveyed in 2024 planned to expand their use of professional interpreters for international meetings and conferences, recognizing that human interpreters provide nuanced and context-aware translations (Gartner).
5. NGOs & International Aid: With over 30% of global humanitarian aid operations relying on multilingual communication, interpreters have been instrumental in crisis response, particularly in conflict zones (United Nations).
Interpreter Marketplace Expansion
6. KUDO Marketplace: At KUDO, our unique marketplace for booking interpreters for online meetings and events saw a 30% increase in usage compared to 2023. Many businesses continue to use human interpreters for complex or sensitive situations where AI falls short.
AI & Human Interpretation Synergy
7. Human interpreters are increasingly working in tandem with AI translation tools. Around 33% of organizations that use KUDO AI’s real-time speech translation feature also rely on human interpreters for high-stakes contexts, like board meetings or political discussions. This hybrid approach allows organizations to meet both accessibility and accuracy needs, demonstrating that AI can complement human interpretation rather than replace it. A recent example of this can be seen at Microsoft’s Asia Tech Summit where both human interpretation and AI closed captioning was provided for participants in four languages throughout the same live event.
Interpreter Training & Certifications
8. In 2024, there was a marked increase in the number of interpreters seeking specialized training, particularly in legal, healthcare, and diplomatic fields. 45% of new interpreters enrolled in certification programs to meet the rising demand for highly specialized language services (International Association of Conference Interpreters).
Global Interpreter Use
9. Interpreter bookings were particularly notable in emerging markets, with Latin America seeing a 37% increase in interpreter services in 2024. The growing influence of Spanish as a global language and the economic expansion of the region have both contributed to this rise (Translators Without Borders).
Technological Integration in Interpretation
10. In 2024, more interpreters adopted remote simultaneous interpretation (RSI) platforms like KUDO’s. This technology enables interpreters to participate in multilingual conferences and meetings from anywhere in the world. In fact, 41% of language interpreters reported using RSI platforms, up from 28% in 2023 (SpeechTrans).
Focus on Diversity and Inclusion
11. There was a notable push for diversity within the human interpretation industry in 2024, with a focus on providing services for underserved or ‘low resource’ languages. Research showed a 25% rise in demand for interpreters specializing in African languages, indigenous languages, and regional dialects (Global Voices).
Language Pair Growth
12. While demand for common language pairs like English-Spanish and English-French remained strong, 2024 saw significant growth in demand for less widely spoken languages. For instance, African languages such as Swahili, Yoruba, and Amharic saw a 33% increase in interpreter bookings, reflecting increased trade and diplomatic relations across the continent (World Economic Forum).
What Drove Human Interpretation Growth in 2024?
So, what fueled this growth in 2024? And why hasn’t AI been the ‘great replacer’ of human interpretation that everyone thought it would be? We’ve seen through the data around KUDO Marketplace that existing human interpretation clients are only increasing their usage, so surely the fear must be around new clients prioritizing AI?
We won’t sugarcoat this, because it’s true—the majority of prospects who approached KUDO in 2024 looking for a language accessibility solution used AI as a first port of call in their interactions with our team. This is because most had simply never experienced or heard of human interpretation before as an option, compared to the ubiquity of technology.
And yet around 50% of these prospects went on to purchase human interpretation in addition to KUDO AI, once they have been educated on the value of combining both solutions to cover multiple use cases. From this, we can infer that far from replacing it, AI is actually driving new revenue to the human interpretation industry in the form of clients who would never otherwise have known about it.
Beyond our own observations at KUDO, we can pinpoint two more global factors that led to the rise in adoption of human interpretation solutions in 2024:
1. Increased Demand for Legal and Healthcare Accessibility
The ongoing drive for equal access to services under new regulations like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the U.S. and the European Accessibility Act spurred greater investment in professional language services. Interpretation in 2024 became essential to ensuring compliance with these accessibility standards, especially in healthcare and legal settings where accurate communication is critical.
2. Globalization of Business and Multicultural Populations
Global expansion of businesses and the increasing mobility of people from diverse cultural backgrounds (particularly in light of remote international workers) have raised the demand for high-quality interpretation. In particular, multinational corporations are seeking interpreters for cross-border meetings, negotiations, and conferences, where nuanced, culturally sensitive communication is paramount.
Key Takeaways & What’s Next for Human Interpretation?
To wrap up, despite the advancements in AI translation tools, skilled human interpreters continued to play a crucial role in multilingual communication in 2024, particularly in sectors like government, healthcare, and international business.
Technological advancements like RSI platforms and AI-assisted interpretation enhanced the capabilities of human interpreters, allowing them to work more efficiently and reach global audiences; the most successful interpreters in 2025 will no doubt be those who combine their linguistic expertise with proficiency in digital tools, enabling them to offer clients both accuracy and efficiency. As technology continues to evolve, the best interpretation services will remain rooted in the human touch—whether it’s interpreting a court case, facilitating a multinational business deal, or enabling vital communication during a medical emergency.
In the future, the human interpretation industry will continue to thrive alongside AI translation tools, and at KUDO, we are excited to be leading the march in this respect. With new demand from AI users driving unprecedented revenue to human interpreters—to cover clients’ A-Z use cases for language accessibility—we are likely to see even greater adoption of human interpretation in 2025.