Google is expanding Assistant's interpreter mode worldwide with a new business solution

Google Assistant on the Nest Hub
Google Assistant on the Nest Hub (Image credit: Google)

What you need to know

  • Google is expanding Assistant's interpreter mode worldwide.
  • It's also adding a full-service solution for businesses to connect with customers in up to 29 languages.
  • Some of the locations already using the tech include Terminal 4 at JFK International Airport, HSBC, the Mercy Corps, Ceasar's Palace in Las Vegas, and more.

Early last year, Google launched interpreter mode, a way for Google Assistant to step in and help you converse with people in up to 29 different languages without actually knowing their native tongue. It then rolled the feature out to smart speakers and phones, and now the company is launching a full-fledged business offering for the same.

A number of big names in the private and non-profit sectors have already signed up for Google's offering. The extensive list of organizations currently using interpreter mode to broaden their horizons includes airports, airport lounges, banking organizations, stadiums, humanitarian organizations, and hotels. Some of the most noteworthy among these are Terminal 4 at JFK International Airport, Ceasar's Palace in Las Vegas, and the Mercy Corps.

Having Assistant help out with translation duties at your business can be as simple as installing a Nest Hub at the concierge. Employees and visitors can then use the smart speaker to aurally communicate with one another, while the display on the Nest Hub can also show live transcriptions of the translations.

But the applications go beyond just hospitality and business. Perhaps the most inspiring example in Google's announcement was that of a Syrian refugee who used interpreter mode to convince the folks at Mercy Corps of her cooking skills. As a result, she was able to secure a grant to start her own cooking and catering business, making language barriers, often one of the most difficult challenges for refugees, a thing of the past.

The company's partnering with Volara and SONIFI for deploying interpreter mode on-premise and providing the necessary training and technical support to ensure smooth operation. If you're interested in expanding your organizations' potential market via Assistant's translation magic, you can do so here.

Muhammad Jarir Kanji