How to Deliver Multilingual Support for Hybrid & Onsite Events in 2025

Planning an event that runs smoothly is already a big job. Throw in multiple languages, hybrid attendance, and tight timelines, and it gets a lot trickier.

We get it. You want everyone at your event — whether they’re in the room or joining online — to feel included and able to follow along. But traditional interpretation setups aren’t designed for today’s formats. Many times they’re costly, complicated, and don’t always fit with your tools or timeline.

The good news is, there’s a better way. More and more organisers are turning to flexible solutions that support multilingual communication without piling on extra stress or equipment. And they’re seeing results: simpler setups, smoother experiences, and events that work better for everyone.

This guide walks through how to make that shift — so you can plan events that reach more people, work across languages, and still feel easy to run.

Why Traditional Interpretation Falls Short

Despite its accuracy and reliability, traditional human interpretation is increasingly misaligned with modern event demands.

1. High Costs

When hiring professional interpreters the traditional way, costs extend well beyond the interpretation itself. You must bear in mind expenses such as travel, accommodation, and meals — especially for international events. These costs can quickly increase with longer durations or when multiple languages are involved. On top of that, if the event venue doesn’t provide the necessary interpretation equipment, you’ll need to arrange for the transport or rental of booths, headsets, and audio systems. This often requires coordination with AV technicians and careful planning to ensure everything works together seamlessly. And let’s not forget the hidden costs — from rush bookings and last-minute changes to unexpected language additions — all of which can take organisers by surprise and significantly impact your budget.

2. Technical Setup

Setting up traditional interpretation systems is not just costly — it’s also complex and time-consuming. Physical booths, headsets, wiring, and audio consoles all need to be installed and tested, often days in advance. This setup requires specialized AV technicians and close coordination with multiple stakeholders, including:

• The event venue’s technical team
• Your own event organisers
• The interpreters themselves
• External equipment providers

Things get even more complicated with hybrid events, where you must ensure that both on-site and remote participants have seamless access to the interpreted audio. This often means juggling different software platforms, resolving compatibility issues, and troubleshooting live — all while the event is in full swing.

Even a small technical glitch can interrupt interpretation and create a frustrating experience for both attendees and interpreters.

3. Poor Scalability

Traditional interpretation doesn't scale easily — in fact, it often breaks under pressure. Each new language added to your event doesn’t just mean one more interpreter; it usually requires two, since interpreters work in pairs to maintain accuracy and avoid fatigue.

This means:

• Double the interpreters
• Double the booths and equipment
• Double the coordination and logistics

As the number of languages increases, so does the complexity — fast. This creates stress for organisers and quickly inflates costs. And if you're working with rare languages or highly technical subject matter, finding qualified interpreters and equipping them appropriately can become nearly impossible at scale.

For large or multilingual events, traditional simultaneous interpreting simply wasn’t designed to flex this way — making it a poor fit for modern, global audiences.

Smarter Solutions: RSI and AI-Powered Speech Translation

Human Interpretation with RSI

Human interpretation remains essential in many scenarios — especially when precision, cultural nuance, and subject matter expertise are non-negotiable. But moving away from traditional simultaneous interpretation doesn’t mean abandoning human interpretation altogether.

Thanks to Remote Simultaneous Interpretation (RSI) technology, it’s now easier than ever to work with professional interpreters from anywhere in the world. No need for travel, booths, or complex installations — just a stable connection and a modern platform. RSI gives organisers access to a broader talent pool, allows for greater flexibility, and reduces logistical headaches.

RSI offers far more than just convenience — it represents a smarter, more agile approach to multilingual communication. When paired with the right platform and support team, RSI can take the logistical stress out of organising interpretation for any event, whether virtual, hybrid, or in-person.

Here’s how remote simultaneous interpretation transforms the interpretation experience:

1. Affordable Interpretation

RSI platforms are cloud-based solutions that simulate a full-featured interpretation booth — virtually. These platforms come equipped with all the tools professional interpreters need: language switching, relay interpretation, redundancy safeguards, internal communication channels, and more.

Imagine this: your Spanish interpreter is based in Madrid, and your English interpreter is in New York. Yet, they’re collaborating as if seated side by side in the same booth — without the travel, accommodation, and equipment costs.

The result? Up to 75% savings on interpretation-related expenses, without compromising quality.

2. Seamless Integration with Any Event Platform

RSI platforms are designed to work with whatever technology stack you already use. Whether you're running your event on Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, or a custom AV setup at a physical venue, RSI adapts effortlessly.

Already locked in your venue and AV equipment? No problem — remote interpreters can still plug into your existing setup with minimal effort. It’s interpretation on your terms.

Explore More:
Live translation options for Zoom: interpretation and AI captions
Live Translation Options for MS Teams: Interpretation and AI Captions

3. Interpreter-Friendly Interfaces

Remote Simultaneous Interpretation platforms aren’t just built for event organisers — they’re thoughtfully designed with interpreters in mind. These virtual booths allow interpreters to take on more assignments without the strain of travel, while still enjoying the familiarity and control of a physical booth environment.

RSI platforms provide interpreters with tools to monitor everything happening in their assigned language channel, ensuring they stay fully in sync with the event. They can communicate directly with their interpreter partner and reach technical support instantly if any issues arise — all within an intuitive, interpreter-friendly interface.

What’s more, these platforms are specifically designed to reduce cognitive load and fatigue, making it easier for interpreters to maintain high performance over longer sessions. It’s a smarter, more sustainable way to deliver high-quality interpretation.

AI-Powered Speech Translation

When you need to scale quickly, AI-powered speech translation steps in to bridge language gaps where human interpreters may not be readily available. Whether it’s a last-minute request for a rare language or the need to support dozens of simultaneous language channels for a global audience, AI can deliver multilingual speech translation in just seconds. This technology is particularly valuable for fast-moving or high-volume events, where traditional human interpretation might be difficult or impossible to coordinate at scale.

It’s important to note that AI does not replace the precision, cultural nuance, or subject matter expertise of professional interpreters. However, it offers a highly effective solution in contexts where speed, reach, and cost-efficiency are the priority. Used thoughtfully, it complements human interpretation rather than competes with it.

In addition, many AI-powered platforms now offer live captions in multiple languages — making events more inclusive, accessible, and compliant with accessibility standards. These captions help support participants who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as those who prefer to read along in their native language. It’s another step towards ensuring that language is no longer a barrier to participation.

Related: 

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) 2025: What you need to know about Captioning Requirements

Here’s how AI speech translation reshapes how we manage language access at scale:

1. Greater Accessibility and Inclusion

AI-powered captioning and speech translation go beyond simply bridging language gaps—they make your content fundamentally more inclusive. By offering real-time captions and translated subtitles, these tools support a wide range of attendees. People with hearing impairments can follow along through text-based communication, while neurodivergent individuals or those with different learning preferences may find written content easier to process than spoken language. Non-native speakers benefit from the added visual reinforcement, helping them engage with confidence. Even attendees in noisy environments, or those who are multitasking or taking notes, gain value from having a live text feed to refer back to. By enabling live captions and multilingual subtitles, you’re not just addressing a translation need—you’re creating a more accessible and equitable event experience, where everyone can meaningfully participate, no matter their language, hearing ability, learning style, or location.

2. Rapid Scalability and Flexibility

One of the most significant advantages of AI speech translation is its ability to scale effortlessly. Unlike traditional interpretation, which requires sourcing and scheduling multiple interpreters — often in pairs — AI can accommodate a growing number of language channels almost instantly. This makes it ideal for events with global audiences, last-minute language additions, or unpredictable attendance across different regions. Whether you’re dealing with five languages or fifty, AI translation can adapt on demand, without the logistical constraints or costs associated with human interpretation.

3. Cost-Effective Multilingual Support

Budget constraints often limit the number of languages event organisers can realistically offer. AI speech translation changes that. By reducing the need for physical equipment, travel, and staffing, it enables multilingual support at a fraction of the cost. This opens the door to including more languages that might otherwise be excluded due to budget limitations — particularly valuable for NGOs, education institutions, or smaller organisations striving for inclusivity on limited resources. AI-driven solutions help ensure that cost is no longer a barrier to delivering a multilingual experience.

RSI and AI Speech Translation Security

Security is a major concern for anyone organising an event. Understandably, you want to avoid any risk of your participants’ private information being exposed, your meeting content leaking, or your personal data being mishandled or stored improperly. However, using online tools doesn’t automatically mean compromising on security. To avoid potential risks, it’s crucial to partner with platforms that adhere to the highest security standards. Look for providers that are ISO 27001 certified, GDPR compliant, and offer end-to-end encryption. Regular penetration testing is another important measure, ensuring systems are continuously checked for vulnerabilities. Choosing secure RSI and AI-powered speech translation tools helps ensure that your content and communications remain confidential, protected, and compliant at all times.

Why Interprefy is a Complete Alternative to Traditional SI

Most platforms offer bits and pieces — but Interprefy brings everything together in one seamless, end-to-end solution. With a cloud-based RSI platform that combines human interpretation, AI-powered speech translation, and live captions, Interprefy delivers both quality and scale without compromise. You get the best of both worlds: the accuracy of professional interpreters where it matters most, and the speed and flexibility of AI where it's needed.

Flexible pricing models make it easy to use Interprefy for a single event or roll it out across your entire organisation. The platform integrates smoothly with leading tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, ON24, and more — so you can keep your existing tech stack and workflows. Built with interpreters in mind, Interprefy prioritises usability and performance, ensuring interpreters can work efficiently and comfortably.

Security is also baked in from the start, with ISO 27001 certification, full GDPR compliance, end-to-end encryption, and ongoing pen testing. And you’re never left to figure things out alone — experienced project managers and live tech support are there to assist at every stage, from planning to delivery.

Whether you’re hosting a town hall, launching a product, running a multi-language webinar, or managing a large-scale conference, Interprefy removes the language barrier and delivers a truly inclusive experience for all.

Who Benefits from Interprefy’s Language Solutions?

Corporate Events
Make internal meetings, product launches, and shareholder presentations accessible in multiple languages. Enhance inclusivity with real-time captions and AI-powered translation.

Conferences & Summits
Reach global audiences with ease. Interprefy allows you to support multiple languages and time zones without the logistical challenges of traditional interpretation.

Webinars & Virtual Events
Easily add interpretation to your preferred webinar platform. No need for additional software or IT support — just plug in and go multilingual.

Onsite & Hybrid Events
Bridge the gap between in-person and remote participants with a unified language experience. Cut down on interpreter travel and on-site equipment costs without sacrificing quality.

Industry Insights: The Shift Toward AI in Interpretation

Interprefy's most recent market research survey reveals important trends shaping the future of event interpretation:

• 70% of event professionals still use traditional SI.

• Yet 67% have already adopted AI-powered speech translation.

• 94% of multilingual event planners** plan to incorporate AI tools soon.

• Accessibility (65%) and audience engagement (61%) are the top drivers.

• The interpreting market is projected to grow from $9.5B in 2022 to $26.6B by 2031, driven by globalisation and hybrid work models.

The message is clear: AI-enhanced interpretation isn’t the future—it’s already here.

Final Thoughts: Make Language Access Effortless

Multilingual events shouldn’t be a logistical or financial burden. With modern solutions like Remote Simultaneous Interpretation and AI-powered speech translation, it’s now easier than ever to provide inclusive, scalable, and cost-effective language access for every attendee.

Interprefy brings the future of interpretation to your events—today.

Whether you’re planning a corporate meeting, global summit, or hybrid event, Interprefy gives you the tools to communicate clearly and confidently across languages, formats, and time zones.