GALA 2024 Valencia Call for Proposals

Navigating the Rise of AI: Dos and Don'ts, Myths and Truths for a New AI-Assisted Localization Industry

After the severe information overload of the last twelve months, we are finally starting to see through the intense hype that has been created around AI (and GenAI in particular). The first reliable solutions are beginning to bear fruit, new shortcomings and opportunities are being discovered and exploited every day, and we are slowly but surely beginning to accept that this technology is here to stay and will impact everything we do.

But maybe it won't. Maybe there are aspects of our profession that you don’t think AI will alter anytime soon. Maybe the technology has flaws that we haven't discovered yet, or maybe there are some business areas, tasks, or subject matters for which humans are uniquely equipped to deliver. Maybe.

While AI can't (yet) solve all of our problems, we need to keep asking ourselves: Could we use AI to make this easier?

In this spirit, for GALA’s annual conference in 2024, we would like to invite all globalization and localization stakeholders to tell us about their latest real-world innovations (including technology, but also processes, productivity, teams, strategy, etc.) and how AI is or isn’t playing a role in their evolution and development.

Special thanks to the GALA 2024 Valencia Program Committee for their work to develop the program. You can also (re)watch our LinkedIn Live session with members of the Program Committee to learn more about the types of content they're seeking to fill this year's program.

The GALA 2024 Call for Proposals is now closed. If you submitted a proposal, you can expect to hear from us in early December regarding the Program Committee's decision. If you have any questions in the meantime, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Dates: 21-23 April 2024
Location: Meliá Valencia | Valencia, Spain
Format: In-Person
Speaker Registration Rate: US$ 1,191.85 ($985 rate + 21% VAT)
Deadline for proposals: 01 November 2023

GALA launched its Language of Business conference series in 2009. The 3-day annual conference has been held in cities across Europe, North America, and Central America and draws delegates from around the globe to learn, share, and network. Prior to the disruption caused by COVID-19, annual attendance reached 500 registrants and GALA conferences had become one of the regular gathering places for professionals in the translation and localization sector. GALA conferences have earned a reputation for being open, inclusive places to learn with peers. They have a collaborative atmosphere and a buoyant, energetic vibe.

Tracks are designed to be inclusive and cross-functional. Please keep in mind our diverse audience which includes translation, localization, and interpreting professionals serving in a variety of roles.
For each track, we provide suggestions to inspire you and help you develop valuable and compelling proposals that might include best practices, use cases, case studies, and success/personal stories.

Track 1: Media Accessibility and Audiovisual Localization (AVL)

Adding media accessibility services to an LSP's service portfolio
The role of controlled languages (e.g., Easy Language, Plain Language, etc.) in content accessibility
The role of AI in media accessibility and AVL
- The use of AI in non-textual description (images, sound, etc.)
- Multilingual models in low-resource and minority languages
New user behavior tracking methods in media accessibility and AVL
The importance of media accessibility and AVL in the metaverse
Case studies of hybridization of media accessibility and AVL with other disciplines (engineering, gaming, programming, filmmaking, reporting, etc.)
How to train professionals in AVL (dubbing, subtitling, voice-over, GILT, sign language, live subtitling, subtitling for the deaf and the hard of hearing, and audio description)

Track 2: Business Process Management

Business automation: Critical for success?
- How much automation/integration do we really need in localization? Does the size of an organization play a role? Are clients’ and LSPs’ needs different?
- The future of business automation: Can automation technology level the playing field for smaller LSPs?
Case Study: Business automation on a small budget
- Free business automation tools for companies of all sizes
Using AI to improve business process management
Take the pain out of payments: Automating payments to outsourced partners/temps/contract workers

Track 3: Interpreting

Offering interpreting services through an AI-based solution: requirements and groundwork for LSPs
Emerging trends and opportunities for innovation in interpretation services
Interpreting technologies
- Progress of interpreting management systems
- CAI, MT and AI-based solutions in interpreting
- The impact of MT and AI on the interpretation workforce
- Automated evaluation/assessment of interpreters through AI-based solutions
Post-pandemic challenges
Interpreting in large organizations
- Community interpreting in times of crisis

Track 4. M&A and Exit Strategies

M&A and exit strategies for SMEs
- How to prepare an exit strategy business plan
- Fair value for an LSP: Does the founder’s valuation ever match the potential buyer's valuation? How to account for employees in a company valuation?
Handing over the management and/or ownership to the next generation
- How to build up a multi-generational, sustainable, successful company
- Succession: Is that so easy?
Stories of the sellers' journey
- Is there life after I sell my company?

Track 5: Supply Chain Management

AI, ethics and social responsibility
Standards and security for a secure supply chain
Data ownership: Chain of custody of personal/business data in the era of LLMs
Automated quality assurance for all levels of the supply chain
Optimizing the supply chain
Practical cases of outsourced vs. in-house linguistic teams
Automated supplier testing
Transparency and sustainability in the supply chain
Making the translation profession thrive

Track 6: Technology

Evolution of Human-Machine interaction
Multilingual challenges of conversational AI
LLMs vs MT: Alternative or complementary tech?
LLMs and translation quality
- Impact on translation quality evaluation
- Impact on MT quality estimation
- Task-based evaluation of LLM output quality
How-tos and best practices for LLM customization (fine-tuning)
Multimedia localization and DTP: New technologies and trends
Game localization: the impact of AI on dubbing and subtitling
Language technology for accessibility and inclusion
Localization versus multilingual content generation
Prompt engineering approaches for translation and smoothing
AI is not only LLMs: Role and evolution of traditional NLP approaches
Software localization and localization testing in the LLM world

Track 7: Workforce and Career Development

The future of interpretation and localization professionals in an AI world
- AI and interpretation & localization careers: Changing and emerging profiles in post-LLM world
- A new generation of experts: How the localization/interpretation education and training offering is keeping up with AI changes (how to bridge the gap between academia and industry, how to prepare the new generation of localizers, new curricula)
- Standardization of interpretation & localization training to ensure quality and consistency
- Truly effective interpreter training
- Post-editing profile and skills in AVL
The battle for talent: talent shortage in the localization market
- Analysis and root causes of the talent gaps in interpretation and localization
- Best strategies for recruiting and retaining qualified interpretation and localization professionals
- Case studies of successful interpretation and localization training programs or initiatives
- Generation change in the interpreting booth: Are young talent welcome?
Challenges faced by interpreters, including issues related to language proficiency, cultural competence, and technology
Diversity, equity, and inclusion /DEI) in interpretation and localization: How can we promote DEI among interpretation and localization professionals to better serve diverse communities?

Special Track: The GALA Soapbox

This track is for those who would like to take a stand, express an opinion, and bring lively debate into the conversation. For more information on the GALA Soapbox, please check out the GALA 2024 Soapbox Call for Proposals

Please note that there is a separate submission form for Soapbox proposals. Soapbox proposals are not accepted using the general CFP form.

Short Talks: Presentations (including Q&A) of concepts that promote conversation, debate, and/or curiosity. (30 minutes)
Interactive Panel Discussions: Long-format panel discussions that engage the audience in a dialogue around a specific topic. Four panelists maximum. (60 minutes)
Workshop: Long-format roundtable discussions that emphasize peer-to-peer learning and require engagement by all participants. (60 minutes)
Other: Have an idea for a creative and engaging session type that doesn’t fit one of these categories? Pitch it to us!

GALA conferences attract experienced professionals from all parts of the language services industry including developers, suppliers, and buyers of language services and technologies. Our delegates serve in many different roles and are looking for challenging, growth-oriented topics presented at an advanced level.

The deadline for proposals is 01 November 2023. Please complete your application using the form online. Final accept/decline notifications will be sent to speakers at the beginning of December

Proposals should:

address the conference theme in a clear manner.
fit one of the conference tracks.
cover a breadth and depth appropriate for an experienced, sophisticated audience.
contain a minimum of 3 concrete takeaways for the audience.
not repeat presentations from other industry conferences.
not be commercial or promotional.

Speakers' Agreement

Please review the speaker’s agreement. You will be asked for your consent to the terms during the submission process. Speakers whose proposals are selected will be required to sign and send the agreement.

Submission Form

The online submission form includes the following information:
Presenter name, company, and brief bio
Presenter email
Panelists (if applicable)
Session title
Abstract
Session format
Track
Session level (Intermediate or Advanced)
Target audience
Describe the problem this presentation addresses
List 3 ways in which you will engage the audience
Have you presented this session/topic before? (If yes, please specify where and when in the comments section.)
Is this proposal being considered elsewhere? (If yes, please specify where and when in the comments section.)
Do you have support/approval from your company to present at GALA if your proposal is accepted?
Please provide links to any sample presentations, videos, or references/accolades from past presentations.
Agreement to terms in the Speaker Agreement
Additional comments or notes