The remarkable advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have turned many ideas that were once only imagined into reality. One example is the real-time multilingual interpretation program Live Translation, launched in February last year by Flitto, a company specializing in language data. With a vision of a “world without language barriers,” CEO Lee Jeong-soo founded Flitto in 2012 and, with AI as a powerful ally, has brought his dream significantly closer to reality.

On September 5 last year, Korea University's Centennial Memorial Hall hosted a special lecture by Harold Hamm, the author of the global bestseller Game Changer. The lecture drew many students, but what stood out was a new form of simultaneous interpretation. Instead of human interpreters, students scanned a QR code on the screen, connecting through their mobile devices such as phones or tablets. The program provided real-time simultaneous interpretation in multiple languages, including Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish, allowing international students to comfortably follow the lecture. The program in use was none other than Flitto’s Live Translation.

"International events often use English as the common language. However, for speakers and audiences whose native language is not English, speaking and listening in English can be quite burdensome. The essence of a lecture lies in the speaker effectively delivering their message and the audience fully understanding it. But focusing on English can often make people miss the important points. I wanted to help both speakers and listeners concentrate on the content by providing a sense of psychological comfort through their native language. Currently, our program is used in multiple countries including the U.S., Japan, and several Arab nations, and it’s rewarding to see the positive reactions align with my initial intention."

“High-Quality Language Data” as Flitto’s Key Competitive Edge

Live Translation supports 38 languages, offering high accuracy even when faced with specialized terminology and proper nouns, which are often challenging for AI translation tools. Its convenience—allowing connection via QR codes—and flexibility across time and space contribute to its popularity. Event organizers also appreciate the reduced cost of hiring interpreters.

The first question in relation to this potential is this: Can humans create AI that is transparent, fair, and trustworthy while controlling for its risks? One of the primary dangers of generative AI is the issue of truthfulness in its outputs, often referred to as the "hallucination" problem. This occurs when generative AI produces information that is not factual or that provides irrelevant responses. As a result, misinformation and disinformation can appear in generative AI outputs, and if users accept these at face value, the consequences can be severe. This is particularly dangerous in critical fields such as healthcare and law. Additionally, generative AI can be used to create disinformation or manipulated content, such as fake news. Bias, a common characteristic of AI, also poses a challenge. Generative AI may produce biased results if it learns from skewed data or reflects the personal biases of its designers.

"The performance of AI simultaneous interpretation largely depends on the translation engine and the quality of the data. We've accumulated vast amounts of data over more than a decade, enabling precise and natural interpretation. For major events, we even pre-train our engine with the names of key figures and specialized terms. This helps the AI to understand context and to choose the right e-x-p-r-e-s-s-i-o-ns. Besides developing our own translation programs, we also supply high-quality data to global AI companies. About 70% of our revenue comes from these data sales."

High-quality language data play a critical role in improving an AI's understanding of vocabulary and accuracy in the process of communication. High demand has meant that Flitto generated over $10 million (approximately KRW 14 billion) in sales from data exports alone last year—an exceptional achievement in software exports.

The Flitto office, where creative collaboration and communication take place

From a Student Startup to a Global Company

Lee Jeong-soo spent his childhood abroad, as a child of an expatriate father. After entering university, he used his strong English skills to help friends with assignments and presentations, which sparked the idea for a service connecting students who were proficient in foreign languages with those needing translation help. After graduation, he joined SK Telecom, where he worked on venture investments and planned to commercialize this service as an in-house venture. Eventually, he left the company and founded Flitto in 2012.

In its early days, Flitto gained attention with its ‘crowdsourced intelligence' model, allowing anyone to request or provide translations through an app. The company's strategy of focusing on building a global user base to accommodate diverse languages was unique. As AI technology advanced rapidly, the language data that Flitto had collected over the years became a crucial factor in enhancing its AI-based translation accuracy.

"When I first started this business, many people were skeptical. The concept of ‘language data' was unfamiliar, and the idea of building a business around it seemed odd. But as AI technology progressed, this data became an essential resource. Thanks to that, we've been growing by more than 30% annually. Many of our major clients in the U.S. are leading companies in the AI sector, giving us insights into future technology trends and valuable learning opportunities."

Embracing Creative Collaboration and Rebellion

학Turning a student startup into a successful business was no easy journey. However, Lee Jeong-soo believed in the power of accumulated data. As a result, his company, which started with just two people, now has over 200 employees and has expanded internationally with offices in China, Japan, and the U.S.

When asked about his school days, he immediately described himself as a "rebellious student." He often resisted what he was told to do and was more interested in what others were not doing. Finding rapping in English “cool,” he even started the hip-hop club Terra with friends who had lived abroad, performing as a rapper. He was also actively involved in student council activities. This rebellious spirit is often linked to creativity. It involves rejecting uniformity, seeing the world from a different perspective, and not hesitating to forge new paths. As someone who has steadfastly paved the way toward a world without language barriers—even when everyone said it couldn't be done— Lee Jeong-soo brings us closer to a future where people worldwide can communicate freely.