What does ChatGPT say about how the translation industry has responded to AI?

“As AI technologies continue to evolve, the localisation industry faces both opportunities and challenges. On the one hand, AI-powered tools like ChatGPT can help automate certain aspects of localisation, such as translation and content adaptation. On the other hand, these tools can also pose risks and require careful management to ensure quality and accuracy.”

Did you catch the dangerous ‘bit’ there? “… can help automate translation …” That, of course, would change everything. At Exfluency, thus far we’ve got it down to less than 10% human input. The race towards full automation has begun.

The rest of the paragraph is more of an exercise in political correctness.

“At the same time, the localisation industry is also contributing to the development and refinement of AI. By providing large amounts of multilingual content for training and testing AI models, localisation professionals are helping to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of these technologies.”

Could have been said by a consultant at any number of industry events; it also contains an inaccuracy. As the best people keep telling me, this is easier said than done. It’s not so much the large amounts that are important, but rather the quality of the data (and its accompanying metadata). Translation memories are notoriously full of poor translations, and the web is full of toxicity. Train on that cocktail and all you get is poor, toxic AI.

“As a result, the relationship between AI and localisation is complex and dynamic. Rather than seeing AI as a threat, however, the localisation industry should embrace these technologies as a way to enhance their own capabilities and create more value for clients.”

Embrace technology and empower clients! Must have found one of my old presentations 😉

Translation companies are of course notoriously slow at embracing new technology and many clients refuse to see translation as anything other than a cost centre. But yes: ChatGPT is correct in its assessment.

“To do so, it is important for localisation professionals to stay informed about the latest developments in AI and how they can be applied to localisation tasks. This means engaging with AI experts, exploring new tools and platforms, and keeping an open mind about the potential benefits of these technologies.”

That was a 50-word sales pitch. Here’s a translation:

“You have no idea where to start but know that you must do something (anything!) about this AI ‘thing’. Hire a big-name consultant who will charge a lot of money for confirming that your business really is in trouble if you don’t change things from the floor up.”

“Ultimately, the key to success in the age of AI is collaboration and innovation. By working together and staying at the forefront of technological advances, the localisation industry can continue to deliver high-quality, multilingual content that meets the needs of clients and end-users around the world.”

Ask your current language partner what their plans are – attend some language conferences and try to form a picture of what options are open to you.

Most importantly is the Power of Sharing. Team up with other companies who are also looking how to communicate in a global, AI-driven market. This is not easy, it isn’t cheap – but doing nothing in the age of AI is not an option.