Artificial Intelligence Translation: The Ongoing Importance of Human Skills
In the past decade, a revolution has taken place in the translation industry, with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) playing a significant role. AI-powered translation has expanded from basic language translation to diverse industries like tech, healthcare, legal, and e-commerce, improving accuracy and enabling real-time multilingual communication.
Major companies driving this AI transformation include Google (Google Translate), Microsoft (Microsoft Translator), DeepL, and IBM (Watson Language Translator). One such example is DeepL Translator, which has gained traction among professionals for its nuanced AI-driven translations, especially in European languages. Similarly, Microsoft Translator, Amazon Translate, and Apple Translate are integral parts of global ecosystems.
However, while AI has made significant strides, it still faces challenges in complex sentence structures, metaphors, tone of voice, and region-specific dialects. Idioms, humor, traditions, and slang are nearly impossible for machines to interpret accurately, making human translators indispensable. In certain industries like legal, medical, and creative, human translators are indispensable due to the need for accurate translations that capture cultural nuances.
Human translators possess contextual understanding, adapting tone, intent, and cultural context, and are essential for maintaining a consistent brand voice. They are also responsible for localization, ensuring content resonates with the target audience's culture and customs. For instance, VerboLabs, an agency that leverages both AI and human translators, uses AI for efficiency and relies on expert linguists for cultural and contextual accuracy.
Relying solely on AI for translation can lead to miscommunication and public embarrassment, pushing away customers from poorly translated websites. In industries where precision and brand reputation matter, it's essential to invest in professional translation services. Professional translation services ensure clarity, accuracy, and tone consistency, acting as editors and gatekeepers. Compared to hiring human linguists for bulk work, machine translation drastically reduces upfront costs.
AI delivers translations in milliseconds, making it invaluable for urgent communication like emails, chat support, or everyday transactions. Businesses rely on AI for fast multilingual support, such as e-commerce sites serving product details in multiple languages, tech companies offering global customer service, and travelers accessing menus instantly. Google Translate processes over 100 billion words each day across over 130 languages.
The future of translation lies in collaboration between AI and human translators, using AI for efficiency and humans for accuracy and cultural depth. This collaboration ensures that businesses can communicate effectively with their global audience while maintaining the nuances and subtleties that are essential for building strong relationships and fostering understanding.
