The Californer - AI Translation and Captioning Emerge as 2026 Graduation Trend in Higher Education

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LOS ALTOS, Calif. - Californer -- This year's commencement season highlighted the use of AI translation and real-time captioning as one of the fastest-growing trends in higher education event technology. While educators continue to debate how AI should be used in classrooms, Wordly, the pioneer in live AI translation and captioning, has seen rapid adoption of its platform during commencement ceremonies.

The trend comes as U.S. campuses are becoming more global and institutions look for scalable ways to support multilingual students, families, and guests during major campus events. According to the Institute of International Education's Open Doors Report, approximately 1.2 million international students during the 2024/2025 academic year, reflecting growing linguistic and cultural diversity that is driving stronger demand for real-time language access at milestone events.

"Commencement is one of the most meaningful moments in a student's life," said Lakshman Rathnam, Founder and CEO of Wordly. "Every family should be able to experience it in real time, in a language they understand What we're seeing is an increasing number of institutions using AI translation as practical infrastructure for inclusion."

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Industry data shows demand for AI translation in higher education has doubled over the past year as colleges and universities seek more scalable ways to support increasingly diverse campus communities. Institutions across North America, including SUNY Oswego, Mount Saint Mary's University, and the University of New Mexico are among the universities that have implemented AI translation and captioning for large-scale campus events, including commencement ceremonies.

SUNY Oswego first introduced AI-powered translation and captioning at its December 2024 commencement ceremony and has since expanded its use to additional campus events. Attendees access real-time captions and translations through a QR code, providing a new layer of accessibility for families who previously had limited language support options. Usage has steadily increased as awareness has grown, demonstrating demand for more inclusive graduation experiences.

Beyond commencement, universities are increasingly extending Wordly across orientation programs, student advising sessions, parent and family engagement events, campus-wide town halls, faculty meetings, and virtual gatherings, enabling broader language access without adding logistical complexity or requiring advance interpreter coordination.

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Higher education institutions cite several factors driving adoption, including improved accessibility for multilingual communities, increased participation and engagement, scalability across dozens of languages, operational efficiency compared with coordinating multiple interpreters, and ease of access through attendees' personal devices without the need for headsets or specialized equipment.

As institutions continue to welcome growing numbers of international students and serve multilingual families, AI translation and captioning are rapidly becoming a standard feature of major campus events and an example of technology enhancing connection, inclusion, and belonging at one of life's most important milestones.

Wordly makes it easy and affordable to offer translation and captions for all your school offerings. Learn more at: www.wordly.ai.