AI for Interpreters, InterCall The Tool You Actually Need

There is nothing an interpreter would love more than to have subtitles pop up before their eyes whenever someone is speaking, but since technology isn't there yet, this new platform comes impressively close!

The Challenge We All Know Too Well

If you’ve ever had to decode three accents in a row, catch a name you didn’t quite hear, or manage a last-minute hybrid meeting, you know the stress that comes with it. Even the best interpreters hit cognitive overload when multitasking between listening, note-taking, and terminology recall, in addition to having to deal with accents/dialects they are not familiar with. Or sometimes, you just might be having a bad day, and you can't even.

Enter InterCall: Built for Interpreters

No, it is NOT another transcription app. This one is actually fast.

It is an AI-powered platform designed specifically with interpreters in mind (already used by over +200 professionals worldwide and trusted by several renowned agencies).

InterCall offers a suite of features designed to make interpreters’ lives easier: it delivers live transcription that captures spoken words in real time, easing the mental strain of following dense or fast-paced speakers; and an instant translation tool that retrieves domain-specific terms and names on the spot, in addition to automatic language detection that easily switches between languages and dialects in multilingual settings. It works through an on-board audio integration that connects with any source on your device without requiring a complex setup.

Now I know, you're thinking through all of this, but it's an AI and it will store my data, and use it for training purposes and- WRONG!

Because Intercall was built for interpreters, the founders are well aware of the confidential nature our job calls for. Intercall is not only HIPAA compliant, but SOC2 compliant, with an enterprise-grade encryption, which means, in much simpler terms, that the data you generate(transcripts & translations) is not stored is their servers, nor is it used to train the AI model and is owned 100% by you.

I won't sit here and write about how Interpretation is a high-performance cognitive task, BUT, we do do a lot, and sometimes, we have unncessary congtive load looming over heads, poor audio quality, your neighbor deciding to throw a party at 9 in the morning, the speaker keeps moving away from their microphone, another speaking deciding to rap the statstics they're sharing instead of presenting them like a normal paced human being... You know what I'm talking about; we've all been there. We have to sit, listen, process, reformulate, take notes, recall terminology, and make decisions in split seconds !!!

That's where tools like InterCall come into use. It does NOT replace interpreters (and never aims to), however, and I must admit, it does reduce unnecessary cognitive load, helps us catch what we might otherwise miss (names, numbers, etc.), and supports us when working in demanding or unfamiliar contexts. It’s like having an extra layer of clarity in the booth, or at your home desk, without breaking the flow of the meeting.

What's the catch? Here are the cons!

Of course, like any tool, InterCall isn’t perfect. While the translation feature is helpful, it doesn’t always capture cultural nuances or context-specific meanings accurately, which, if you follow BLINDLY and come UNPREPARED to your meeting, it can lead to your interpretation feeling slightly off. And since the platform doesn’t yet allow interpreters to add or save custom terms, you also can’t “train” it to recognise preferred vocabulary (This is something that may matter to those who work with consistent terminology or client-specific phrasing)

In noisy environments, you might notice occasional inconsistencies in how the audio is picked up. And if a session runs beyond the 1–2 hour limit, the platform can sometimes lag or stop capturing audio, requiring a quick refresh (Which can always be done after you finish your 30-minute shift!)

It’s also worth noting that the subscription is a little on the pricey side, especially for freelance interpreters who are just starting. But you do get what you pay for. Now, in my opinion, these limitations do not outweigh the benefits, but they’re worth keeping in mind.

If you’d like to try InterCall and see the difference for yourself, you can subscribe using my referral link—it supports my work and gives you direct access to all the features I’ve described. Give it a go and make your interpreting sessions lighter, faster, and clearer, and let me know what you think of it in the comments below!