China's iFLYTEK shrinks real-time AI translation lag to 2 seconds

Chinese AI firm iFLYTEK on Tuesday unveiled new AI translation technology featuring a simultaneous interpretation model that starts translating just two seconds after the speaker begins.

This rapid advance is a major step in minimizing the "speech lag" often associated with machine translation. It was announced at both the World Expo in Shanghai and the Gitex Global tech event in Dubai.

The core breakthrough is the company's upgraded large AI model targeting simultaneous interpretation. The model's first word response time – a critical measure of real-time performance – falls to as low as two seconds.

Competitive edge and differentiation

This advanced technology is integrated into the company's new AI translation earbuds that support 60 languages.

Key features include an open-ear design for clear sound pickup in noisy environments, and a unique "voice cloning" function to broadcast translations in the user's own synthesized voice.

While tech giants like Apple and Google have recently integrated live translation features into products like the latest earbuds, iFLYTEK's new earbuds offer a different market focus, positioning themselves as a dedicated, specialized interpreter device.

Unlike general-purpose earbuds where translation is an added feature, iFLYTEK's intelligent speech product is aimed at professional users with a specialized vocabulary exceeding 100,000 terms for high-stakes sectors like medicine, finance and law.

This handling of complex and technical vocabularies makes it a business-grade tool rather than a consumer-grade product.

Expanding its global reach, the model also boasts added mutual translation capabilities between Chinese, English, Arabic and Spanish, useful for events and meetings.

Compared to tech companies that offer AI translation earbuds, including established players and specialized startups like Timekettle and Vasco, iFLYTEK's latest product is positioned at the intersection of professional-grade performance and a more human-like experience.

An industry report by market data firm IDC underscores iFLYTEK's technological leadership, ranking the company first in six key AI translation metrics including speed, effect, professional scope and commercial scale.