Sorenson Communications Acquires Two AI Sign Language Interpreting Tech Startups

Communication services company Sorenson Communications has announced the acquisition of two companies that specialize in sign language interpreting technology. 

Hand Talk is a startup that uses AI and digital avatars to provide automated sign language translation, a feature that is particularly useful for translating content on websites or other platforms where dynamic, interactive communication isn’t required but accessibility is still essential.

OmniBridge, meanwhile, has built models that use computer vision to capture and translate sign language into text or speech. Its product is designed for bi-directional, real-time conversations between English speakers and users of American Sign Language, making it ideal for live, interactive settings where immediate communication is critical.

For a sense of scale, the companies have seen, altogether, more than 9m app downloads, more than 0.25m active users each month, and more than 1,000 websites using their plugins to create accessible content for Deaf individuals, according to Sorenson.

Salt Lake City, Utah-based Sorenson was founded in 2003 as a video relay services and videophone provider for Deaf and Deafblind users, and expanded into captioned telephone services in 2011. 

According to Sorenson CEO Paget Alves, the company conducted market research and even experimented with its own AI models for possible automated sign language translation. Sorenson was in touch with Hand Talk and OmniBridge for several years before deciding to partner up. The financial terms of the acquisitions were not disclosed.

Alves explained that Sorenson sees the technology from both Hand Talk and OmniBridge as supporting the work of human sign language interpreters. (Sorenson reportedly employs “thousands of highly trained [ASL] experts,” among the company’s more than 10,000 workers, who handle more than 140m conversations annually.)

“Interpreters supported by the power of AI will mean, quite frankly, better interpretation. We can see this tech only increasing the accuracy of real-time interpretation and providing more immediate support,” Alves said.

He added, “It’s also important to note that these technologies are not here to replace interpreters but to fill gaps where human interpreters may not be available, ensuring consistent, 24/7 accessibility.”

Each startup’s team will be brought on board post-deal, including OmniBridge co-founder Adam Munder and Hand Talk CEO Ronaldo Tenorio. 

Money and Milestones

Sorenson’s recent acquisitions come on the heels of French call center giant Teleperformance’s November 2024 USD 490m purchase of ZP Better Together, a US provider of remote interpreting, videophones, and mobile applications for deaf and hard-of-hearing users.

On the tech front, in January 2025, the UK Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council awarded a GBP 8.45m (USD 10.5m) grant to three universities to build a foundational large language model (LLM), “SignGPT,” for sign language.

Alves, who was appointed CEO in December 2024, said his predecessor, Jorge Rodriguez, had envisioned R&D, tech advancements, and possible M&A opportunities as part of Sorenson’s three-year roadmap. Alves suggests that he shares those aspirations.

“Our major focus moving forward is on leveraging the power of AI to advance language inclusion and accessibility,” Alves said. “By integrating AI-driven sign language recognition and translation technologies, we’re poised to address critical communication gaps that have long existed for those who are Deaf.”