AI isn’t just changing tools, it’s changing expectations

Three years into working with AI in localization, I’ve seen the pressure build: automate faster, scale more, do it now.

But the real challenge isn’t the tech itself. It’s the gap between hype and reality , and what happens when teams are expected to act like everything’s already working.

In this post, I break down five common challenges that keep showing up, and what we can actually do about them.

Words have the power to shape perceptions and influence actions, which is why reframing is such a powerful tool. In localization, we can reframe our role from simply translating to driving alignment across the company. By ensuring content is consistent, culturally relevant, and strategically aligned with business goals, localization professionals play a key role in helping businesses grow globally. This post explores how we create that alignment and why our work is much more than just translation.

Choosing between a single-vendor or multi-vendor localization model is not only about price. The real difference shows up in the day-to-day metrics: turnaround time, quality stability, cost control, and how much coordination your teams need to do. In this post, I walk through the core metrics that tend to improve with a single-vendor setup, and how they can help you understand which model fits your localization strategy right now

Even when localization teams aren’t directly affected by a company reorg, everything around them can change fast sponsors move, teams merge, budgets shift.

That’s when weak governance shows its cracks.

This post explores how strong localization governance keeps programs stable, visible, and credible no matter how often the org chart moves.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that localization buyers, like the emotions in Inside Out, are often driven by one dominant need. Some are in survival mode, juggling too much. Others are just getting started and need guidance. Some care about speed, others about cost, and some are laser-focused on how things feel in-market.

Most localization discussions stop at per-word rates. However, what appears inexpensive on paper can often turn into costly delays, rework, and frustrated teams.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) provides a more comprehensive view, one that encompasses engineering fixes, QA cycles, support tickets, and brand impact.

When procurement and leadership focus only on price, localization becomes a cost center. When they consider TCO, it becomes a key driver of quality and efficiency. And this post explains how to approach that

Many teams treat localization vendors as interchangeable compare rates, sign the contract, move on. But every switch comes with invisible costs: lost context, quality dips, and team fatigue. In this latest post, I unpack what really happens behind a vendor change ( and how to prepare for it like a continuity project, not a quick fix)

Localization teams collect tons of data, edit distance, LQA errors, fuzzy matches, deadlines met, but too often, that data doesn’t speak the language of business. This post explains how to change that. By linking each localization metric to one of the classic project management levers, quality, time, or cost, and showing its real-world impact, we can turn linguistic KPIs into insights that leaders understand, value, and act on.

Let’s be honest. Our industry has not done a great job explaining the cost behind a good translation. What does the translation cost? Is it by word, per page, per type of document? We've been opaque for years about this topic. There are many reasons behind the cost of translation. This post will help you understand what you should take into consideration when purchasing a localization job.

Many companies claim to be customer-centric, but too often that promise stops at English. Surveys and focus groups are run in the US or UK and treated as if they represent the entire customer base, leaving most global customers unheard. In this post, I share a practical framework 5 audit questions to help leaders test if their strategy is truly customer-centric or just a slogan.

Many companies claim to be customer-centric, but in practice their listening stops at English. Most research is based on customers in the US or UK and then applied everywhere else. The result is predictable: cultural blind spots, costly rework, and frustrated global customers. In this post, I explore why true global listening begins when localization insights are treated as part of the customer voice

Reorganizations are disruptive. For localization teams, they bring a double challenge: the fear of being affected and the pressure to keep global launches on track. While executives focus on restructuring, customers still expect consistent experiences across markets. That’s why reorgs can be an inflection point an opportunity for localization leaders to show resilience, protect business continuity, and earn a stronger seat at the table.

Usually, when we want to improve something in our Localization strategy, we first set an ambitious goal. From there, we design a strategy to reach it as quickly as possible. If we don't see rapid changes, we feel like we're not improving. To break this cycle, we can try changing the way we set goals—smaller, but consistent objectives that, when we look back, show us that we are indeed making progress. This progress can be the driving force for us every week, every month, every year.

Here are some ideas on how we could apply this Kaizen methodology in the Localization world.

"The Localization Accountability Ladder" explains how to go from avoiding responsibility to becoming a leader in localization. The blog covers seven simple steps, showing key behaviors, skills, and tasks to help teams improve.

I'm passionate about Localization metrics, but it can be frustrating. We live in a data-rich world, allowing us to measure our impact better. However, this data abundance brings challenges when building a Localization metrics system.

In my experience, two main pitfalls emerge (but they are not the only ones 😅). One is overemphasizing Localization ROI, which can lead to unproductive discussions. The other is tracking effort-related KPIs without translating their impact on company success into terms that matter to leadership and product owners.

Several factors affect the duration of localization for a digital product, including translators' availability and the technology setup level. This blog post explores the various elements that impact the amount of time needed for product localization.

Seven years ago, my twin Maria and I stood on the LocWorld stage in Warsaw and talked about Cultural Intelligence ….how culture shapes trust, feedback, leadership, and collaboration. Back then, the big question was: How can humans work better across cultures?

Today, that same question still matters but with a twist:
How can AI LLMs can work better across cultures?

In an AI-driven world, we’re seeing that language alone isn’t enough. Multilingual doesn’t mean multicultural. And as we rush to scale AI globally, cultural nuance is too often left behind.

Maybe it’s time to rethink how we build. Maybe it’s time for Cultural LLMs.

Before any great translation comes great source content. In this post, I compare what I’ve learned from golf lessons to the localization world: success depends on how well you set up from the start. I share real examples, red flags to watch out for, and four practical pillars : governance, clarity, style, and global mindset that can make or break your localization process. If you want smoother workflows, better quality, and fewer headaches, the fix might not be downstream… it might be in your stance.

Talking to executives is never easy and feeling ignored makes it even harder. I’ve been there…..pitched a localization project I truly believed in… and never heard back. That experience stayed with me. Over time, I’ve learned what works (and what doesn’t) when trying to influence decision-makers.

In this post, I share 5 practical tactics that helped me go from feeling overlooked to getting buy-in (without changing the heart of what we do in Localization)

What if inclusive localization isn’t just the right thing to do but also the smartest way to break free from outdated pricing models? In this post, I explore the core elements of an inclusive localization strategy and why it might be the key to escaping the trap of price-per-word thinking.