
Is Wearable Translation Tech the Way of the Future?
Articles
・8 min read
AI is making waves everywhere these days—it’s thrilling, it’s daunting, and it’s often misunderstood. One area where it’s bringing innovation is improving how we communicate across languages, making translation and localization faster and smarter. But with these advances come higher expectations for ethical and responsible use.
But with these advances come challenges: how do we ensure AI-driven language solutions remain accurate, fair, and free from bias? The push for faster automation raises important questions about transparency and accountability.
Enter the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act (EU AI Act): a landmark regulation designed to foster trust and ensure safety in AI technologies, with wide-reaching implications for multilingual communication.
For language services buyers, the EU AI Act makes accountability a priority. The law requires language service providers (LSPs) and language technology companies to make sure their tools meet high standards for ethical and responsible use. This is especially important for industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to aviation, where precision safeguards reputations and compliance drives opportunity.
By understanding the Act’s requirements, buyers can make more confident choices—finding tools that fit their needs, partners they can trust, and strategies that prepare them for the challenges ahead. Here’s what you need to know.
The EU AI Act is the world’s first comprehensive framework for regulating artificial intelligence. Proposed in April 2021 and officially adopted in 2024, initial implementation of the act began in February 2025, with full implementation expected by 2026. Its goal is to ensure AI innovation and development is accompanied by safeguards that protect public trust and safety.
Covering all AI systems used within the EU, the law applies to developers, providers, and users. By classifying AI technologies based on their potential impact—from minimal to high risk—the law establishes requirements for clear operational standards and oversight. High-stakes applications, such as those in telecommunications or public services, require rigorous accountability checks, while lower-risk systems face less stringent rules.
For buyers of AI-enabled language solutions, these classifications matter. Tools like machine translation must meet strict standards for accuracy and accountability. Similarly, general-purpose AI models, such as large language models (LLMs), have their own obligations, from transparent documentation to safeguards against misuse. These guidelines underline the importance of choosing compliant technologies and reliable partners.
As the EU AI Act begins to reshape the regulatory landscape, language services buyers need to understand its direct impact on the tools and vendors they rely on.
The Act classifies AI systems into categories based on their potential risk, from low-risk applications like spam filters to high-risk tools used in regulated and other high-compliance services—for example, AI systems used in patient diagnostics or fraud detection in financial services.
For language services buyers, understanding how AI tools are classified is crucial. Tools used for sensitive or regulated content—such as machine translation for legal or medical content—may fall into the high-risk category and require stricter oversight.
Regarding the act, language services buyers should ask their vendors:
Engaging with language services under the EU AI Act isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about reducing the risk of operational disruptions, legal penalties, and reputational damage. Selecting partners that meet the Act’s standards supports buyers in choosing secure, effective tools. This approach prepares businesses to manage the challenges of an increasingly complex AI landscape.
As the EU AI Act introduces new standards, language service providers will need to implement best practices to ensure their AI tools meet these regulations. This will help LSPs to minimize risks, avoid penalties, and build trust with buyers for their compliant, responsible AI solutions.
One of the most important steps for buyers is to partner with language service providers who are well-versed in regulatory requirements. Experienced LSPs are proactive about tracking changes to the Act and can help guide businesses on the use of AI-compliant tools, especially for regulation-heavy industries.
For regulated industry translations, involve human linguistic experts to validate outputs and refine AI systems over time, ensuring compliance and minimizing risks.
Regularly gather input—from end-users, linguists, internal teams, and clients—to improve AI outputs and align tools with both compliance standards and practical needs.
Implement clear processes to audit vendor tools, assess adherence to the EU AI Act, and track changes in regulatory requirements.
For more about how we use AI in our processes, check out our full blog on AI at Argos. Stay tuned for an upcoming article where we’ll explore the tools we use and their role in maintaining compliance.
The EU AI Act encourages innovation while imposing clear compliance requirements through a structured framework for AI development. Companies can leverage this opportunity to explore AI models with their localization partner that automate quality checks or enhance document anonymization, aligning both their needs and regulatory standards.
With AI governance laws emerging worldwide, including Canada’s Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA)and similar initiatives in Japan, businesses should adopt scalable systems to manage overlapping regulations. Tools with built-in compliance features—such as automated audit trails, transparency mechanisms, and bias detection tools—will become essential for ensuring global readiness.
For deeper insights into integrating compliance and user feedback into AI systems, we recommend reading our new report: The End-User in the Loop: Why the How of Using GenAI Matters.
Argos Multilingual’s expertise in regulated industries and responsible AI ensures that your language solutions are prepared for the demands of today and the challenges of tomorrow. Contact us to learn how we can support you under the EU AI Act and beyond.
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