Can Humans Trust AI For Language Translation? AI technology has emerged as a transformative force, revolutionizing almost every industry. However, the question remains: can global businesses fully rely on AI for translation?
By Nikita Agarwal Edited by Micah Zimmerman
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Are you fluent in speaking your customers' language? Research indicates that 65% of people prefer consuming content in their native tongue and 76% prefer products that provide information in their own language.
To appeal to international buyers, establish meaningful connections and remain competitive, businesses must ensure that their content is accessible in the native language of their customers.
AI has become the talk of the town for making its way into every industry and fundamentally changing how we work. So, is AI language translation technology advanced enough to meet the language requirements of global companies?
The current state of AI language translation technology
AI translation, also known as machine translation, uses various algorithms and statistical models to predict the likelihood of a set of words in a sequence and translate text from one language to another.
Neural Machine Translation (NMT) has transformed the field, and most leading translation engines use neural networks to translate between more than a hundred languages.
The quality and accuracy of machine translation are continuously improving with larger data sets for training, increased computing power and advancements in deep learning techniques.
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Benefits and drawbacks of AI language translation
Like any technology, AI language translation has its merits and challenges.
One of the greatest advantages of AI translation is its efficiency and cost-effectiveness in translating large volumes of content into multiple languages in a matter of minutes at a fraction of the cost of human translation.
Machine translation quality for major languages is incredible, especially when translating simple sentences where culture and context are not critical.
Additionally, there is no limit to the learning capacity of AI engines that can be continuously taught and improved, resulting in higher-quality translations. They can be trained on subject-specific, industry-specific and even company-specific data.
However, the quality of AI translation heavily depends on the quality of training data, and building custom translation models can be costly and resource-intensive. Only a handful of companies can afford the bilingual data and computing power needed to build a custom machine translation engine.
At its current capacity, AI cannot accurately translate languages with complex sentence structures and grammar rules, such as Japanese and Finnish. Languages such as Arabic and Russian with complex morphologies also pose a challenge for NMT engines because the inflexion of words can change the meaning, and the same word can have multiple forms depending on its grammatical function.
AI language translation for global businesses
Global businesses have different translation requirements ranging from an internal email or a social media post to legal contracts and regulatory documents. While AI translation may suffice for low-risk content with standardized terminology, it falls short when dealing with culturally sensitive materials or documents requiring contextual accuracy.
We have all seen brands making big mistakes with translation which hurt audience sentiments and damage their brand reputation. Such instances highlight that being culturally sensitive is necessary while communicating with global audiences. Cultural nuances and regional differences require careful consideration in translation.
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Types of content AI translation isn't for:
- Culturally sensitive marketing communications
- Legal and regulatory documents
- Official documents like licenses and certificates
- Employee training modules
- Any creative content
However, AI can be used for translating content where the risk of errors and inaccuracy is relatively low or has standard terminologies and repetitive texts.
Use cases for AI translation in business include:
- Internal communications
- Low-traffic website pages with straightforward content
- Gaining an initial understanding of notices and reports
- Non-critical FAQs and help pages with technical content
- User-generated content like reviews and answers
Remember that the quality of AI translation is only suitable for major languages. If you need to translate a language like Mongolian, Bodo, Azerbaijani or Somali, the current state of AI translation is insufficient to provide an accurate comprehension of the text.
A middle ground — Machine translation after editing
For most types of content, businesses can opt for a service known as Machine Translation Post Editing (MTPE) that combines the speed and efficiency of a machine with the quality and cultural understanding of a human.
In MTPE, human linguists proofread and edit AI-generated translations. For major languages, this leads to a 2-3x gain in productivity and significant savings in costs.
MTPE is most commonly used to translate technical manuals, user guides, scientific research, RFPs, financial reports, notices and datasets.
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Integrating AI language translation into business workflows
To integrate AI translation effectively, businesses must consider the level of risk, complexity, significance, and purpose associated with their content. Prioritizing a thorough evaluation of AI translations' reliability and accuracy within specific language pairs is crucial. It is also important to exercise caution when using free AI translation tools, as they may lack data protection guarantees. Seeking professional opinions for critical content is always recommended.
AI language translation has revolutionized the translation industry and provided businesses a new way to communicate with their global audience. However, it is important to understand its limitations and use it correctly to avoid errors and negative consequences.
By striking a balance between technology and human expertise, businesses can leverage AI translation to enhance their global communication strategies while ensuring accuracy and maintaining brand reputation.
