By Srishty Verma
Technology has changed the language industry and made translators' lives easier over the last two decades. This article asks where translation will stand in the next ten years, and what translators should do about it.
Tools already in use
CAT tools, instant communication, translation memories and glossaries are examples of how technology helps translators every day. Machine translation has also eased the daily workflow. Many translation companies believe AI algorithms are getting closer to replacing human translators, although the author notes that machines cannot replace humans completely. Big companies are adopting new tools to raise productivity and cut time.
What translators will need
As machine translation improves day by day, translators will have to adapt their skills. Customised services, such as a deep understanding of the target audience that lets them adjust the translated content, will matter more.
How AI is changing machine translation
The author sees the future of translation as creative tools and expert systems working together to deliver accurate results at competitive prices. She compares this to robots in manufacturing, which save labour cost, reduce errors and finish repetitive tasks in minutes without needing breaks.
AI has turned machine translation into a tool that can improve and learn by itself. Deep learning algorithms can process millions of data points every day to improve accuracy, and advances in natural language processing (NLP) help them understand the meaning of the input in context. Her example: Google can tell whether a search for "Apple" means the computer or the fruit.
In the coming years, she expects machines and AI to reduce time and ease the work of translators, with small breakthroughs that improve the performance of human translators. She cites an estimate that AI could reduce a professional translator's manual workload by 20-40% when the original text is simple enough, though she does not name a source.
More cultures and languages
As the internet reaches emerging countries, translation will cover more cultures. Besides the top languages, software will have to give accurate solutions for audiences who speak less known dialects. Translation companies are expected to build software like Google's improved translation tools into their workflows to deliver precise translations faster.
Conclusion
Technology will play a larger part in translation, and translators who adapt their skills and work with the tools will be in the best position.
Related reading
Read Translation in the next 10 years: CAT tools, AI and regional languages.
