For decades, translation has been treated like a checkbox—an afterthought at the tail end of a marketing campaign or product rollout. But thanks to the rise of AI-powered platforms like Smartcat, that mindset is shifting dramatically. In a recent episode of GTM Innovators, we sat down with Sara Rosso, Senior Director of Product Marketing at Smartcat, to explore how AI is transforming not just the how of translation, but the when, where, and why.

Here are a few of the most eye-opening themes from our conversation:
Translation as a Core Go-to-Market Strategy (Not a Final Step)
Traditionally, companies launched a campaign or product in English, then outsourced translations to local agencies—waiting days or weeks for the final version. But Smartcat is enabling a new playbook: localization becomes part of the launch, not something tacked on at the end.

With AI-assisted workflows and integrated human oversight, teams can now roll out content in multiple languages simultaneously—sometimes translating into 12+ languages in minutes. This shift empowers companies to think more globally from day one, entering new markets faster and more efficiently than ever before.

“We see forward-thinking teams putting multilingual communication into the core of their GTM strategy,” Sara explained. “Instead of waiting until the end to localize, they’re planning language support from the beginning. That unlocks true speed and scale.”

And it’s not just about marketing campaigns. Smartcat is seeing companies use its platform across a wide variety of functions:

• Product and engineering teams are using AI translation for rapid prototyping and interface localization.
• Support teams are translating screenshots and customer messages on the fly to assist global users.
• Legal and compliance teams are localizing critical safety documents and policy notices in dozens of languages.
• HR and L&D teams are translating onboarding materials and internal courses to train global workforces.

When translation becomes embedded in the GTM process, companies can serve international markets with the same level of agility as their home market—something that was nearly impossible just a few years ago.

Translating the Whole Picture: Images, Slides, and Multimedia
One of the most exciting innovations Sara shared? Smartcat’s image-to-image translation feature. Instead of going back to your design team for every banner, infographic, or slide that contains embedded text, marketers can now upload finished creative assets and receive translated versions—with formatting, fonts, and design preserved.

But that’s only part of the story. Smartcat supports over 80 content formats, enabling seamless translation for:

• PowerPoint decks
• Video subtitles and voiceovers
• PDFs and Word documents
• Web pages and software UI strings

“We’re seeing companies localize end-to-end user experiences,” Sara said. “Not just the website copy, but the product interface, the marketing images, the follow-up emails—all of it. And they’re doing it with a speed that was unthinkable before.”
This unified translation layer reduces friction across functions and gives GTM teams a strategic advantage: the ability to test, launch, and scale in multiple languages without waiting weeks for traditional localization workflows.

Will AI Save Language—or Replace It?
As the conversation turned philosophical, Sara raised a fascinating point about AI’s cultural implications:

“I actually think AI will help preserve linguistic diversity. By removing the pressure to conform to a single business language, companies can engage with people in their native tongues more easily and more often. That could keep lesser-used languages relevant and empower teams around the world to work in the way that feels most natural to them.”
From compliance teams ensuring safety messaging lands in the right dialect, to global support reps responding to customer tickets in dozens of languages—AI is opening doors we didn’t even know existed just a few years ago. Rather than replacing language, AI may be its most powerful ally yet.

Want More?
We just scratched the surface here. In the full episode, Sara dives deeper into AI-human collaboration models, continuous learning systems, and how enterprises are unlocking new sources of growth and efficiency through language.

Click here to watch or listen to the full episode with Sara Rosso on GTM Innovators 

You’ll come away rethinking what’s possible—and probably have a few new ideas for your own global strategy.