After the Hype, Some Clarity: Time to Rewrite the Narrative

Our latest UK Language Services Industry Report paints 2025 as a year of pressure, adaptation, and growing clarity for UK language service companies. Market conditions have been unforgiving (think longer sales cycles, aggressive pricing, client budget cuts, and intense AI-driven disruption), and yet many LSCs have shown true resilience.

While the hype around generative AI is somewhat abating, there is no denying that it has and will continue to have a massive impact on LSCs in the future. This latest data shows us yet again that standing still is not an option. Business-as-usual is not an option. Forward momentum, innovation, and adaptation is.

What we see globally, and hear from UK LSCs is that even though AI is reshaping workflows and expectations, it has by no means eliminated the need for linguistic, cultural, and domain expertise. And this presents an opportunity for LSCs to deliberately reshape service models, sharpen their positioning, and selectively and thoughtfully use AI to support – not replace – human-led value creation.

This report also includes a Q4 Special on the state of M&A in the language services industry. M&A remains one of the surest ways to (inorganically) grow business, but it is firmly a buyer’s market at the moment, with lower valuations and heightened scrutiny of financial resilience, client mix, and strategic focus.

Read the full report