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Massive technological developments over the past few decades have completely changed many aspects of our daily lives here in Europe and abroad. Interestingly, the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) has fundamentally disrupted language translation, an essential communication tool in today's interconnected world.
Some significant concerns that come to mind regarding the rapid growth of AI are: Can AI translate better than human translators?
An overview of the translation industry.
The translation market is expected to be valued at USD 96.21 billion by the end of 2032, up from the current USD 60.68 billion. Globalization has made multilingual communication essential, which is the main reason for this increase. Translators often had to manually translate content from one language to another using traditional translation procedures, which are labor-intensive and time-consuming.
However, the situation is different when computer-assisted translation (CAT) technology becomes available. Reportedly, over the past two to three years, 52% of language service providers have reported an increase in gross revenue, which is attributed to the efficiencies brought about by his CAT technology.
What does AI mean for language translation?
Language translation is one of the many industries where artificial intelligence (AI) has made significant advances. AI in language translation is the process of translating text and audio into different languages using neural networks and machine learning algorithms. Tech giants like Google and Microsoft are leading this rapidly evolving industry with cutting-edge translation services.
Every day, around 500 million people use AI-powered translation services like Google Translate, which can quickly translate between many languages. We employ machine learning to continuously improve translation accuracy based on user input and usage. Research has shown that 75% of translators are freelancers/independent contractors. To manage the growing number of freelance translators, most translation agencies use contractor management software and billing and payment automation from companies like my company, Transformify (TFY). Translators who integrate AI claim to see at least a 30% increase in productivity. Popular AI translation tools include Google Translate, Microsoft Translator, and DeepL, just to name a few.
Although AI in language translation has created new opportunities, there are still many disagreements on this topic. The question arises: Can artificial intelligence take on the role of a human translator? Or is it just a translation aid? To answer these questions, we need to understand the role of human translators in the language industry.
The role of human translators in the linguistic field.
For centuries, the core of the language industry has been provided by human translators. Their responsibilities go beyond simply translating words. It also interprets meaning, understands cultural characteristics, and ensures that the translated content is appealing to the target audience. AI is currently unable to replicate this human touch in translation.
Professional translators are experts in their respective languages and fields. Grammar, syntax, idioms, and cultural allusions are all their specialties. Translation without changing the original meaning requires a thorough understanding of the context. Additionally, sophisticated translations, such as those found in technical papers, literary works, legal documents, etc., can be handled by human translators when accuracy and context are important.
Although the need for AI is increasing, the demand for human translators is still growing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, interpreting and translation employers are expected to see a 20% increase in employment by 2032. This is a significantly faster growth rate than the average for all employees.
Disagreement between human translators and AI.
The application of AI in language translation has resulted in conflicts between humans and technology. On the other hand, scalable, fast and effective AI-driven translation systems are available. The cost-effectiveness of AI is yet another advantage. AI translation typically costs around $0.10 per word, while human translation costs on average $0.22.
Human translators, on the other hand, can handle complex translations and offer a wealth of linguistic knowledge and cultural sensitivity.
AI has dramatically changed the translation industry because it can process large amounts of material quickly and efficiently. This is a great tool for businesses that need to quickly translate large amounts of content. However, AI translation often lacks the context awareness and cultural sensitivity that human translators have. Idioms, analogies, and cultural references can be difficult to translate and can lead to inaccurate translations.
On the other hand, human translators are excellent at producing translations that are correct and appropriate to the context. They understand the nuances of language, intended meanings, and cultural meanings. However, AI can translate faster and larger amounts of text than human translators. Additionally, the cost of human translation services is often higher compared to AI translation systems.
Advantages and limitations of AI in language translation.
Although AI translation has many advantages, there are also disadvantages.
Benefits of AI translation:
- Economical: Artificial intelligence translation systems rarely incur additional costs for translations after training.
- Speed: Machine translation produces translations very instantly.
- Accessibility: The widespread AI translation system is available to anyone with an internet connection.
- Scalability: AI translation systems can handle huge amounts of material without compromising quality or incurring additional costs.
Disadvantages of AI translation
- Accuracy: The translation algorithms used by AI are not immune to errors and inaccuracies.
- Understanding context: Machines cannot fully understand the context or broader meaning of a document.
- Lack of humanity: Machine translation is impersonal and insensitive to cultural differences.
Advantages and disadvantages of human translation.
Despite the challenges they face, human translators are invaluable.
Advantages of using human language for interpretation:
- Accuracy: Human translators can accurately understand and convey the content of a document.
- Contextual understanding: Human translators have the necessary contextual experience and cultural understanding to translate idioms, slang, and other deeply embedded parts of a culture.
- Nuanced Interpretation: Human translators can accurately capture the nuances, tone, and style of the source text.
- Quality Assurance: As a type of quality control, translations are inspected and corrected by human translators.
Disadvantages of human language interpretation:
- Cost: The cost of human translation can be higher than the cost of AI translation.
- Time-consuming: Human translations must be done by a human and are time-consuming.
- Availability: Depending on the language pair and subject matter knowledge, different talented human translators may be available at different times.
A case study of AI and human interpretation.
Let's consider an example to better understand the difference between AI and human translators. Skype's real-time translation feature, which uses AI to instantly interpret audio, was introduced in 2014. This feature is a game-changer in that it enables smooth multilingual conversations and removes communication barriers.
Real-time translation is a useful feature of Skype, but it's not without its limitations. Accent, dialect, and background noise are common issues. Additionally, idiomatic expressions and cultural allusions can make translations unstable and produce inaccurate translations.
In contrast, qualified human translators have years of experience successfully translating difficult texts. For example, consider translating a literary masterpiece. Gregory Rabassa is a renowned translator who translated the works of Gabriel García Márquez into English, respected for his ability to express not only words but also emotions, cultural background, and meaning of the author. Currently, AI does not have this level of translation ability.
How can AI and human translation work together?
The debate about AI vs. human translators often overlooks an important point: the potential for AI and human translators to collaborate. Rather than being seen as a threat, AI may be seen as a tool to improve the work of human translators.
AI handles the initial translation and can process large amounts of text quickly and effectively. The AI translations are then reviewed and improved by human translators to ensure accuracy, context, and cultural appropriateness. By combining the linguistic knowledge and cultural sensitivity of a human translator with the speed and scalability of her AI, this partnership has the potential to improve the efficiency of the translation process.
The future of language translation: AI, human translators, or both?
The future of language translation is not a battle between AI and human translators. It is the combination of collaboration, technology, and human expertise that has the potential to revolutionize the translation industry. AI has the potential to handle translation at scale and speed, making language translation easier to use and more affordable. However, high-quality, contextually accurate translations require a human touch. The future of language translation will see artificial intelligence and human translators working together to complement each other's strengths and overcome their limitations.
In summary, there are many interesting prospects for the future of language translation. The advent of AI has completely changed the field by increasing scalability, efficiency, and speed. Nevertheless, human translators remain important given their proficiency in many languages, understanding of cultural nuances, and ability to handle complex translations.
In an AI vs. human translator war, it doesn't matter who replaces whom. The focus is on working together to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and ease of use of language translation. The future of language translation will be a collaborative effort that leverages the benefits of both AI and human translators to overcome communication barriers and foster understanding among people around the world.
