The Economics of Language
The Translation and Localisation Industry
How businesses pay to translate and localise products for different language markets, why Indian-language internet users matter, and how AI is changing the work.
Firms translate and localise products to reach new markets.
Localisation
Beyond translation, it adapts currency, dates, images and culture.
India’s opportunity
- Most new internet users prefer Indian languages.
- Apps add Hindi, Tamil, Bengali and more.
- Voice search in local languages is growing.
Government efforts
Bhashini, launched in 2022, is a government platform for AI translation across Indian languages.
Jobs
Translators, subtitlers and voice artists for dubbing films and shows.
AI
AI translation handles volume cheaply, while humans focus on quality, legal and creative work.
Economics
Localisation expands the market, often paying off many times the cost.
A payments app adds Tamil and Telugu interfaces and sees sign-ups rise in south Indian towns.
Most new users prefer Indian languages.
- Localisation adapts products to cultures.
- Indian-language users drive growth.
- Bhashini supports AI translation.
- AI shifts humans to quality work.
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