AI Localisation Trends: 55% AI Adoption, Hybrid Model to Hit 81% in 2025
The report reveals that AI is rapidly reshaping localisation, with over half of companies already adopting it and 81% planning hybrid AI-human models in the next year.
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A new survey from Lokalise, which gathered insights from over 500 professionals at medium-sized and large companies across North America and Europe, reveals that more than half (55%) of businesses are already using AI for localising lower-priority content. Additionally, 63% acknowledge that while AI speeds up translations, human oversight remains essential.
Key AI localisation use cases cited include website or app content (52%), marketing materials (48%), regulatory documents (48%), and internal documentation (46%).
Looking ahead, 81% of organisations said they are likely to adopt hybrid localisation approaches which combine AI and human review within the next year, with 40% of high-maturity companies very likely to do so. Asked about how AI might impact localisation within the next year, 46% said they think AI will run most localisation workflows, and 42% believe AI will handle most translation tasks.
The study also uncovers localisation as a critical driver for business success, with 74% of companies saying that localisation accounts for more than 26% of their revenue growth. A further 11% said it accounts for more than half.
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Aside from significantly boosting revenue growth, customer experience was identified as a key benefit, with 51% of survey respondents stating it improved satisfaction. 47% reported that it strengthened inclusivity and accessibility, and 45% said that it strengthened their brand’s global presence.
Yet despite recognising the importance of localisation, over two-thirds of organisations report having localisation maturity gaps* with 43% still relying on spreadsheets to manage complex localisation processes, leading to delays, errors and collaboration challenges.
“Our research reveals that having a localisation strategy and the technology to back it up is not a ‘nice to have’, it is a key driver of revenue and customer satisfaction. The financial gains reported by companies which have mature localisation strategies are so significant that it could make or break an organisation when it scales internationally, said Magnus Slind-Näslund, Chief Technology Officer at Lokalise.
“Surprisingly, despite the ROI businesses know that they can achieve through localisation, there is a clear disconnect between this recognition and the actual implementation of mature localisation processes. Too many organisations are relying on under-resourced and rudimentary tools for delivering local content and functionality.”
“However, this situation may soon change, as the vast majority of respondents said they intend to leverage AI to enhance their localisation efforts.”
The report comes at a critical time as organisations face mounting challenges in 2025, including exponential content growth (expected to increase 5 fold in the next three years), cost pressures, higher customer expectations for culturally relevant experiences, and expanding language access regulations.
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