In terms of translation agencies’ translation processes, not that much. The use of machine assistance is not new for translation agencies, since it has been widely used for over 10 years. Machine translation (MT), translation memories (which store all previous translations), and translation software (where translators work) have been assisting us for a long time.
Although earlier machine translation was based on different technology than the newer large language models (LLMs and generally known as AI), their role in the translation process has remained the same. What has changed now, is that clients are aware of these tools. They know that they can request AI-assisted translation. Moreover, clients’ fears related to using machine translation have decreased. However, it is still important to distinguish when you can rely on machine-generated text and when human expertise is needed.
No, the rise of language technology has only increased the demand for translation, as it is now more affordable and accessible than ever before. In 2023, the global translation industry was valued at 49 billion U.S. dollars. 10 years earlier, it was 22 billion U.S. dollars. Of daily translations, about 1% are fully translated by humans. The rest are created using machines or a combination of machine and human work (source: CSA Research).
Client expectations are increasing, with more demand for faster translation of larger volumes. Thanks to machine translation and AI advancements, we can meet these expectations. Without machine assistance, such translation speeds would not be possible. For comparison: 10 years ago, one translator translated an average of 1,500 words per day. Today that number is around 3,000 words.
At Interlex, AI validation means that a machine-generated translation is reviewed by a linguist. In other words, the machine translates and the human edits. This service is suitable when you have a limited budget or a very tight deadline for translating a large volume of text.
With the premium translation service, machines are used as an aid. However, the translation is handled by two people: a translator and an editor. This is a better choice for important texts where you need additional review and perfected wording. For instance, additional review is recommended for medical texts and essential legal translations.
In the case of both services, at least one person always reviews the translation and is responsible for its quality.
Machine assistance may not be used at all in transcreation (e.g. marketing translation), where more creative wording is required. If the client wishes, the use of machine assistance can be omitted for any other type of text as well.
Yes, you can. If you wish to order a translation created solely by AI, without any human review, or if you plan to review it yourself within your company, we offer that service as well. For fully AI-generated translations, we use top-level translation software, LLMs, and a combined solution of multiple machine translation engines, along with our translation memories. This involves multiple machines working together, as several machines are better than one. We can also help you prepare your files to be in a format suitable for the translation program.
Our project managers assist with organising and planning your translation management process, so you do not have to deal with file formatting or learning the translation processes yourself. We can also store all your previous translations in our translation memories in order to ensure continuity with your next translations.
