The numbers are in: translation experts weigh in on DeepL translation expertise

Key Takeaways

• In the ALC’s 2024 survey, 82% of language service companies use DeepL, roughly twice as many as big tech providers.
• DeepL grew its machine translation market share by 44% in one year and now serves 50% of the Fortune 500.
• Enterprise demand is surging: Most LSCs report clients asking about AI, and Language AI is now a C-level priority.
• A 2024 Forrester study found DeepL delivered 345% ROI, cut translation time by 90%, and reduced workload by 50%.
• DeepL’s specialized Language AI, trained on curated data and expert feedback, outperforms generic models for accuracy and nuance.
• Enterprise customers like Panasonic Connect and Daiwa Securities use DeepL to boost productivity and ensure consistent terminology at scale.
• Tools like the DeepL Customization Hub help LSPs and enterprises build consistent, branded translation workflows at scale.

Which machine translation provider do the world’s leading language services companies (LSCs) trust to deliver accuracy and efficiency?

In a new survey of 127 language companies across 28 countries, the answer is clear and resounding: DeepL.

What the ALC survey reveals about trusted machine translation providers

The 2024 Industry Survey by the Association of Language Companies (ALC) revealed that 82% of LSCs now use DeepL. That’s far more than those who use machine translation services from any other provider and roughly double those using big tech companies: 

• Google (46%)
• Microsoft (32%)
• Amazon AWS (17%)

It also shows the momentum with which DeepL’s Language AI is reshaping the translation landscape. 

DeepL has grown its share of the machine translation market by an astonishing 44% in the past year. We’ve jumped from third place to become the clear number one. 

The company is showing especially strong traction in the enterprise market, now providing translation services for 50% of the Fortune 500.

"It's striking that a specialized language AI company like DeepL has overtaken tech giants like Google and AWS as the top machine translation provider among language service companies,” said Anna Wyndham, head of research for language industry intelligence provider Slator. Slator carried out the survey for the ALC. 

“As AI adoption speeds up and language AI becomes a key value driver, this shift suggests that agile, focused companies can outpace larger competitors by delivering impact in critical areas.”

The numbers keep growing. In separate 2025 research, 95% of American executives believe Language AI is a must for global businesses.

Why language companies choose specialized Language AI

The increased trust that LSCs have in DeepL comes at a time when we’re embracing AI in response to growing client demand. Enterprise customers are especially interested, and for good reason.

Why enterprise demand for AI-powered translation is surging

According to the ALC survey, 75% of LSCs reported customers were asking about AI technology. 

Moreover, per a recent McKinsey survey, 65% of LSPs reported regularly using generative AI in early 2024. That’s nearly double the percentage from just 10 months earlier.

As they compete for growth in a global business environment, enterprises find the costs of language barriers piling up. These barriers prompt multiple problems:

• Create risks for offshoring and nearshoring strategies
• Complicate international operations
• Block growth in new markets
• Add friction to workflows while hampering productivity

How DeepL helps LSCs deliver productivity, accuracy, and ROI

It’s no wonder that enterprise customers are seeking out purpose-built translation platforms that meet definite criteria:

• Tailor to their specific needs
• Integrate with their tech stacks
• Provide their required accuracy, security, and compliance 

Slator’s 2024 Language Industry Market Report found that Language AI has been elevated to a C-level priority within enterprises. This creates new growth opportunities for LSCs able to integrate the technology effectively.

Working with DeepL allows LSCs to deliver the productivity and efficiency that enterprises seek. They can do so without compromising the accuracy critical for industries like manufacturing, retail, healthcare, legal, and beyond. 

In addition, solutions like the DeepL API enable LSCs to build the highest-quality machine translations into their own workflows. This allows them to harness Language AI’s benefits within their existing systems and develop innovative new tools for customers. 

According to a 2024 Forrester study, using DeepL prompted powerful benefits:

• Delivered 345% ROI for global companies
• Reduced translation time by 90%
• Cut translation-related workload by 50%

How DeepL marries accuracy and innovation

DeepL’s advantage in machine translation is a direct result of our uniquely specialized Language AI platform.

What makes DeepL’s specialized Language AI different

Our AI engineers train DeepL Language AI on carefully curated, proprietary language data. Thousands of language experts tutor it. 

Compared to generic AI models trained on public internet data, DeepL outperforms on crucial factors:

• Delivers far greater accuracy 
• Demonstrates a deep understanding of cross-country, multilingual nuances 
• Works with how humans actually communicate

According to 2024 blind tests with language experts, DeepL's next-gen LLM outperforms other heavy hitters in terms of translation quality:

• 1.3x more than Google Translate
• 1.7x more than ChatGPT-4
• 2.3x more than Microsoft

We continue to test, innovate, and expand our horizons, pushing the boundaries of what specialized Language AI can do.

What’s the real-world impact for enterprise customers?

For enterprise organizations, instant, accurate, and authentically human translations can break down communications barriers at scale and supercharge internal productivity. 

Here’s a case in point. 

In "Beyond the Code," a series produced by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions, Panasonic Connect Senior Manager Shoji Ohtsubo explains that DeepL shrank the time needed to translate tech strategy discussions from half a day to a matter of moments. 

This speed enables globalizing Japanese companies to collaborate seamlessly and increase productivity across their international operations. 

In addition, features like DeepL Glossaries ensure consistent translation of complex industry and corporate technology. This is a DeepL feature that Japanese investment firm Daiwa Securities Group particularly prizes.

“The application of language AI is going to completely change how quickly and effectively enterprise organizations can work,” said Jarek Kutylowski, DeepL CEO and founder. 

“There has always a language barrier between their different regional operations, and this is where DeepL really helps them communicate both internally and externally. It’s empowering business lives at scale.”

These results show why translation experts and enterprises increasingly treat DeepL as critical infrastructure, not just another tool.

Learn how the DeepL Customization Hub helps you build brand consistency at scale.

Turn industry trust in DeepL into your competitive advantage

The ALC data is clear: Translation experts and global enterprises find DeepL to be an essential solution.

DeepL Language AI helps your LSC deliver higher-quality translations faster, build differentiated services, and win more enterprise-scale work.

If you’re on the enterprise side, you can work with providers who use DeepL or integrate DeepL directly. The full Language AI suite—Translator, Write, Voice, and API—is built for enterprise-scale translation workflows.

Contact Sales to explore how DeepL Language AI can support your LSC, your enterprise clients, and every workflow in between.