Do you remember not too long ago when we used to laugh at the unintentionally funny mistranslations produced by Google Translate?
Well, those days are behind us. In recent years, machine translation systems have improved enormously, now delivering translations that are fluently worded and free of errors on the linguistic surface level.
As a result, human translators now face competition. They’re no longer the sole go-to option when someone needs a text translated into another language.
But despite their advancements, machine translation systems have not replaced human translators – and won’t do so in the foreseeable future. While modern AI-powered systems produce impressive results, they still have limitations and weaknesses. In many cases, human intelligence is still essential.
This blog post will help you decide: When is AI translation sufficient for your needs? When should you engage a professional human translator? And when does a combination of human and machine translation make the most sense?
How AI translators work
To understand when AI translation is suitable, it’s important to take a step back and look at how AI-based translation tools actually work.
The technology behind AI translators
The processes used by AI translation software are highly complex – so much so that even the programmers behind them don’t fully understand how the tools arrive at their results.
In simple terms though, AI translators are software programs that learn how to translate by analysing examples. The software must first be trained on vast amounts of data, through which it learns to identify and reproduce patterns. An AI translator examines thousands upon thousands of translations to develop the ability to translate text on its own.
Its decisions are based on probabilities: it chooses the translation that seems most likely at any given point. However, “most likely” doesn’t necessarily mean “correct”. While AI-generated translations are usually grammatically accurate, they can still contain factual errors.
What AI translators excel at is speed. They can process several pages of text in just a few seconds. This speed requires enormous computing power, typically provided by the provider’s data centres rather than your own device.
Costs and data privacy
Many AI translation tools are offered free of charge by their providers. However, this is because users effectively “pay” with their data – or more precisely, with their texts. The content you upload for translation may be used as training data to further improve the tool.
This raises important data privacy concerns. Any data you submit to an AI translator is processed and may be reused by the provider. In the worst-case scenario, confidential information could later appear in a text generated for another user.
To address these issues, many providers now offer paid premium subscriptions that promise to protect your data.
Where AI translations shine
So, what does all this mean for the use of AI translations?
Where can you confidently rely on them?
AI translation is generally suitable for situations where:
- Speed is a priority.
- A “good enough” translation will suffice.
- Costs need to be kept low.
- No sensitive data is involved.
For example, you can safely use AI translation to better understand an e-mail from an international colleague or client. Similarly, internal memos or repetitive documentation can be translated using AI, as long as you anonymise any sensitive information – such as personal data – beforehand.
Where AI translations fall short
AI translators are undeniably attractive due to their speed and low cost. However, there are certain scenarios where their advantages are outweighed by their drawbacks.
You should avoid relying on AI translators in the following cases:
- When the translation must be precise and accurate (e. g., legal contracts or safety-critical texts).
- When the translation is intended for a large audience (e. g., a website or an annual report).
- When a creative translation is required (e. g., marketing copy or slogans).
- When sensitive data is involved (e. g., personal data or trade secrets).
In these situations, the risks of using AI translation outweigh the cost savings. Confidential data could be leaked, costly misunderstandings could arise, or reputational damage could occur.
What humans can do that machines cannot
Now let’s turn from machines to humans. What do professional human translators offer that AI translators cannot?
Professional translators don’t simply transfer words or sentences from one language to another – they convey ideas, emotions, and messages. They are not only fluent in two languages but also deeply familiar with the cultures behind them, incorporating this knowledge into their translations.
In addition to linguistic expertise, they bring industry-specific and subject-matter knowledge to the table, ensuring that translations are not only linguistically flawless but also factually accurate.
Professional translators are also committed to upholding national and international data protection standards. They handle sensitive information confidentially and safeguard it using appropriate technical and organisational measures.
And finally, human translators can empathise with other humans. They understand your target audience, know what they need and speak to them in a way that resonates – creating a connection that AI simply cannot replicate.
When to choose a human translator
So, what does this mean for your texts?
When should you choose a human translator over an AI tool?
You’re best off opting for a professional human translator whenever:
- A precise, factually accurate translation is needed.
- The translation will be used for marketing or branding purposes.
- Sensitive data is involved.
In these cases, the longer turnaround time and higher cost of a human translation are more than justified. You’ll receive a reliable service and a translation that achieves the desired impact.
Hybrid Approaches: Where Humans and Machines Collaborate
Despite what we’re often led to believe, humans and machines aren’t at odds. In fact, human translators are some of the most frequent users of AI translation tools.
When professional translators use AI, they can speed up their processes and reduce costs – all while applying their human expertise.
This collaborative process is known as post-editing and typically involves three steps:
- Preparing the source text, including anonymising data and clarifying ambiguous passages.
- AI translation, using a tool selected for the specific language pair, text type, and data protection requirements.
- Post-editing the output, which involves reinserting anonymised data, ensuring content accuracy, and refining the language.
Whether post-editing or a fully human translation is more efficient depends on the specific case. As AI translators improve, post-editing will become a viable option for an increasing number of scenarios.
As your translator, I’m here to help you find and implement the best solution for your translation needs.