New audio-to-text solution raises bar as AI transforms translation industry

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The increased use of artificial intelligence has significantly accelerated the growth of the translation and transcription sectors in the Gulf region, which is currently experiencing economic expansion, technological advancements, and heightened globalisation, said an expert.

"Projected to reach $5.72 billion by the end of 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.2%, the AI-powered segment of the language services market, encompassing both translation and transcription, represents a major industry shift," Abdul Wasey, CEO of the New Delhi-based content creation firm Media Pitch pointed out.

He was referring to the latest data from Verified Market Reports, which valued the global AI translation market size at $2.17 billion in 2023.

Media Pitch recently unveiled Trans Pitch, an AI-powered platform capable of translating and transcribing any audio or video file into text within minutes. It supports more than 100 languages.

"In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, notably within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, there is a burgeoning demand in sectors such as business, healthcare, and tourism, which significantly drives the growth of language services," he added, emphasizing the pivotal role of innovative solutions like Trans Pitch in today's technology-driven environment.

"In addition to translation and transcription, our unique clip-by-clip translation feature allows you to crosscheck translated or transcribed text line by line. Furthermore, Trans Pitch's paraphrasing feature enhances content by enabling direct conversion of audio/video into various formats like news reports, features, or interviews," said Abdul Wasey.

The surge in the language services industry across the GCC is propelled by the region's dynamic economies, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which draw substantial foreign investment and business operations necessitating extensive localisation and translation services.

"For instance, as multinational corporations expand into the Gulf, there is a pressing need for translations into Arabic, among other languages, to meet the local market's requirements," noted the Media Pitch CEO.

Arabic remains the most requested language for translation in the region, but the diverse expatriate community and international business ties also create significant demand for other languages. Chinese, Russian, Hindi, and other Indian languages are frequently required, reflecting the broad economic ties and diverse populations in countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

"Advanced technologies such as AI and Machine translation (MT) are transforming the language services landscape in the Gulf. These technologies significantly enhance the efficiency and accuracy of translation and transcription services, which is critical for sectors such as e-commerce and digital content where timely and culturally relevant communication is crucial," said Hamood Siddiqui, the brain behind Trans Pitch.

The demand for audio-to-text translation and transcription services in the GCC region, he said, is experiencing significant growth, driven by various factors, including the increase in audiovisual content across diverse industries. "This trend is partly due to the shift towards more remote professional environments, which has expanded the need for these services across business, healthcare, tourism, and other sectors," added Siddiqui.

According to a study by Astute Analytica, the AI-powered segment of the language services market, which includes both translation and transcription, is projected to reach around $45 billion by 2025. "This growth is driven by the adoption of AI technologies, which enhance translation accuracy and speed across multiple sectors," the report states.

The broader global language services market, according to Mordor Intelligence, is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.32% from 2024 to 2029, indicating strong demand for translation and related services worldwide, including in the Gulf region.