Interpreter mode expands globally to airports, banks and more

Our goal with the Google Assistant is to help people get things done, and one of the most powerful ways we can do that is by enabling people to connect with one another. Last year, we introduced a real-time translation feature called interpreter mode to help hotel guests communicate with concierge staff—even if they don’t speak the same language. We brought the feature to smart speakers, Smart Displays and most recently to phones, so you can now get translation help on the go.

Today, we’re partnering with systems integrators Volara and SONIFI to launch a full-service solution to help businesses around the world remove language barriers for their customers. So if you’re a business, you can now get help translating conversations with your guests across 29 languages in real time using just a Nest Hub.

This new solution means that interpreter mode will be expanding to new places like airports (Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport), airport lounges (American Airlines Admirals Club at Los Angeles International Airport, Airport Dimensions), banking (HSBC), organizations managing live sporting events (Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy and Ooredoo at Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar), organizations aiding humanitarian efforts (Mercy Corps, Human Rights First) and hospitality management (Delaware North), in addition to more hotels (seven new Caesars Entertainment properties including Bally’s Las Vegas, The LINQ Hotel + Experience, Flamingo Las Vegas, Paris Las Vegas, Harrah’s Las Vegas, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino and Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, along with Best Western® Hotels & Resorts properties in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and our first international partners Shibuya Stream Excel Hotel Tokyu in Japan and W Doha Hotel & Residences in Qatar).

To give you an idea of how exactly interpreter mode can be useful in these spaces: Each year, more than 21 million passengers travel through John F. Kennedy International (JFK) Airport’s Terminal 4 (T4) in New York. T4 is operated by JFKIAT, owned by Schiphol USA, a U.S. affiliate of Amsterdam based Schiphol Group. Of all customers in T4, 65 percent are international travelers, many of whom are visiting the U.S. for the first time. Flying can be very stressful for passengers, especially when struggling to understand the native language. Customers traveling through T4 have been delighted, and somewhat relieved, to use interpreter mode at the information desks located within the terminal. Travelers can get assistance with locating luggage, navigating the terminal, finding concessions, and locating ground transportation. Meanwhile, Guest Services staff are finding interpreter mode to be invaluable in fostering communication that enhances the customer experience traveling through and from the airport.

Interpreter mode can also help in other scenarios. Mercy Corps, a global humanitarian organization based in Oregon, uses the Assistant’s interpreter mode to translate conversations with people who are seeking to build better lives and transform their communities for good. One Syrian refugee was able to use her cooking talents to open a business of her own so she could share traditional, homemade dishes with her new community. By using interpreter mode to communicate with the team at Mercy Corps, she was able to secure a grant to support her endeavor, which has now grown into a restaurant and catering service.