Lost in Translation? Hyatt Gets Help from Google Assistant

Hyatt Hotels Corporation is collaborating with Google to pilot a new wave of capability with Google Assistant – Interpreter Mode. With this feature, users are able to receive translations for dozens of languages and conduct conversations in real time. At participating Hyatt hotels, Interpreter Mode will enable guests and colleagues that speak different languages to communicate via spoken and written translations of their own languages on a Google Home Hub.  

“At Hyatt, we view technology as a way to scale care for our guests and colleagues and enhance the meaningful human connections that are fundamental to our industry,” said Alex Zoghlin, global head of strategy, innovation and technology for Hyatt. “As international tourism continues to rise, implementing solutions like Interpreter Mode ensures the needs of today’s global traveler base remain at the core of our innovation strategy and we are collaborating with Google on a new technology that offers the potential to create widespread impact across the hospitality industry.”      

At Hyatt, Interpreter Mode is being piloted at Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport’s concierge desk to assist with fulfilling guest needs. To use this solution, hotel guests will identify their language on the Google Home Hub screen and hotel colleagues will activate Interpreter Mode to translate the conversation. In addition to assisting guests, this solution is being used to support colleague engagement efforts.  

The technology showed up at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and was showcased at Ceasars Palace to mitigate confusions between guests and hotel staff. The technology allows devices like the Google Home Hub to turn into a handy translator for people speaking different languages. The new Interpreter Mode can translate 27 languages. Google has also worked with Dream Hotel in New York City.

“What we’re trying to aim for is for the technology to blend into the background, for people to be able to connect eye to eye and form a more personal connection,” said Vincent Lacey, a product manager at Google, in an interview at CES.