BeTranslated vs AI Translation: Human Expertise vs AI

In today’s society, artificial intelligence algorithms are the next big thing, and they continue to take the world by storm.

Currently, in the UK, the AI market is worth £17 billion, and it is reported that this figure could rise to over £800 billion by 2035.

Furthermore, the UK has twice as many AI-based companies as any of its European counterparts.

For many people, time is money, and efficiency is key.

With AI systems increasing the rate of productivity, they are playing a pivotal role in our society, as their software produces automated responses at a much greater speed; therefore, they are starting to replace previous conventional methods.

For better or for worse, artificial intelligence has affected all industries and sectors, with the translation industry being no exception.

Nowadays, almost everybody is familiar with, or understands how to use AI translation tools such as Google Translate, ChatGPT, and DeepL, but how much can we rely on these tools to create the perfect translation for your project?

Contextual understanding

Human language is not as simple as math, in that there is not one definitive answer, but multiple possibilities and potential options.

Furthermore, no two languages are the same, and each has its own sentence structure, grammar, style, and idioms.

Machine translation finds it extremely difficult to understand the context within a text, and cannot easily grasp the cultural nuances of either the source or target language.

Despite providing output for your workload at a much faster rate than human translation, AI translation tends to contain common mistakes and lacks accuracy and precision.

A study carried out by the Economist revealed that poor communication delayed projects by 44%, or left them incomplete as a result.

Moreover, 18% of the study’s participants experienced a loss of sales due to a lack of precise communication with their clients.

Machine translation tends to automatically generate a direct or literal translation of the source text, which can cause a few problems.

What makes sense in one language, can be utter gibberish in another.

For example, when HSBC Bank tried to advertise its “Assume Nothing” campaign worldwide, it encountered several issues.

Instead of appropriately translating it into various languages, it opted to translate its slogan using an AI translation tool, resulting in a translation signifying “Do Nothing” in many languages.

This major error caused the company to spend $10 million on a new campaign, where they eventually changed their slogan to “The world’s local bank”.

Since AI translation has the inability to identify different contexts, it can cost businesses a lot of money, but with BeTranslated’s expert translation and localisation services, you can rest easy knowing this will not happen to you, ensuring you maintain a fruitful relationship with your clients.

Adaptability to different types of text

There are various types of translation, for instance, you can have sworn translations, legal document translations, the translation of a travel brochure, or even a user manual.

The translation processes for these documents differ, and the model and requirements for each are not the same.

At BeTranslated, we have a team of highly skilled and experienced translators in a wide range of fields, available to assist you with any translation needs you may have.

Consistency in document types such as legal documents or user manuals is essential, and this is where AI translation can let you down.

AI translation often tries to use different variations of words, meaning that the document is not coherent, and therefore difficult to follow, or incorrect, which can be a significant issue regarding its importance, as well as the implications caused as a direct result of the poor translation.

The value of having a human translator that has extensive knowledge of an industry, alongside the culture of the target audience, cannot be understated.

This expertise and skill that you require for your project cannot be replicated by artificial intelligence.

If you want to effectively communicate with your target audience and make a lasting impression, don’t waste your time using AI language tools, hire a professional translation agency to assist you, giving your translated content a human touch.

Cultural sensitivity

When translating any text, your primary focus should be adapting it for the desired target audience.

A human’s expertise is significantly better equipped to deal with this, compared to its technological counterpart.

For instance, something as simple as colour can have very different connotations and meanings amongst other cultures and countries.

If we take the colour red for example, it has a wide range of significance for various communities.

In the UK, we associate red with love, passion, or even aggression, but in China, it is associated with happiness and luck.

On the contrary, in South Africa, it is a symbol of sacrifice, violence, and bloodshed, with the colour appearing on the national flag, to serve as a reminder of the sacrifice made by many South Africans in the fight for independence.

When carrying out a translation process, a human can take into consideration the cultural significance of your message for your target audience and can alter it accordingly, whereas AI translation is incapable of doing this.

Choosing a human translator to carry out a translation and localisation process gives you security, and ensures that your brand’s message is accessible and relatable for your target audience.

In a global market, there is no room for error, and when reaching out to an international market, you have to demonstrate an understanding and awareness of their culture.

User experience and trust

When it comes to translating your documents, our team of industry experts at BeTranslated will work with your team, and support you throughout the process. We will provide you with translations of the highest quality, and meet your requirements, as well as those set and demanded by the industry.

In comparison with machine translation, human translators with expertise in a designated field will have a far greater understanding of complex industry terminology and jargon used.

Furthermore, unlike AI translation applications that can occasionally store and use your private information, at BeTranslated, we keep your sensitive information confidential throughout the translation process.

With our SEO expertise, we can adapt any text, allowing our consumer research to improve your visibility on Google.

Unlike AI translation, we can offer you a wide range of professional translation services, providing you with a speedy service, that will propel you towards success, and will allow you to gain prominence and trust amongst your clients.

Why automated AI translation is a costly mistake

Despite automated AI translation being efficient and significantly more advanced than before, it still falls short in terms of the quality it provides, compared to that of a human translator.

AI translation tools can be helpful when trying to quickly understand the meaning of a message, but when it comes to creating an accurate and reliable translation, don’t waste your time using this cheaper alternative, as in the long run it will cost you more money, and affect your reputation and your brand’s image amongst clients.

Contact us today to find out more about our cost-effective professional translation services, and get a free, no-obligation quote.

How Do I Find the Right Translation Service for My Needs?

For many companies or individuals that find themselves in need of a professional translation service, the prospect of choosing the right high-quality translation provider can be rather daunting.

If your content is being translated into a language that you yourself don’t understand, there is an element of trust, as you aren’t able to verify the quality of the work yourself.

The abundance of information online can be overwhelming for those working with translators for the first time.

Perhaps you’ve come across terms like CAT tools and localisation while browsing through translation agency websites and been left feeling confused, but all is not lost!

Our simple guide to what to look for when hiring a translation service will help you find the right translator for you.

Be specific about your language requirements

Let’s start with language combinations. Many translation agencies specialise in specific languages, such as European languages like French and Italian or Asian languages like Korean and Japanese, whilst others that have a larger pool of translators offer a seemingly endless list of language combinations.

It is crucial that your translator is specialised in the right regional dialect for your needs. For example, if your company is branching out into the Latin American market, working with European Spanish translators is not going to be appropriate.

Be specific with your translation agency about the regional details of your target audience, and make sure that they have linguists who are experienced with the dialects your project requires.

Look for translators specialised in the appropriate subject

Linguistic knowledge is just one piece of the translation puzzle; your translator should also be knowledgeable about the subject of the text to be translated.

If you need a contract translated, you should work with a legal translator experienced in contracts, whereas a marketing translator would be a more suitable choice for your publicity content.

Working with a specialised translator will ensure you receive a high-quality translation.

When researching translation service providers, focus on those that specialise in the type of translation you need, and feel free to ask them about their previous clients, which will give you a better idea about the kinds of translation they have experience doing, and the profiles of their translators.

Read reviews with a critical eye

Once you’ve narrowed your search down to translation agencies that are experts in your subject area and language combinations, it’s time to focus on their reputations.

Take a good look at their website and social media pages, particularly focusing on customer reviews and feedback. Read the reviews thoughtfully, with a clear idea of the kind of company you’re looking for.

Do you need an agency that can turn around translations very quickly? Or would an agency with a reputation for strong communication with the clients suit you better?

Also, pay attention to the types of clients they have worked with; are they similar to your company?

Approaching this information with a clear idea of your own needs will make it much easier to process what is relevant to you and your needs.

Consider requesting a sample translation

Providing a translation agency with a short sample text (around 300 words is standard) for them to translate, which you may or may not be asked to pay for, is a great way of checking the quality of the work and confirming if they are the right fit for your translation needs.

Be realistic with what to expect from a free test translation; don’t expect a translator to translate pages and pages of text for free, especially if the job on offer is a small project.

That being said, many translators are happy to provide short samples, and it’s a useful step in finding the right high-quality translation service.

Be clear on the service that you expect

Ask for details on what the translation company offers, and be clear about what you need. Will you require extra services such as proofreading or localisation?

Don’t be afraid to ask the agency for details of their service, for example, is proofreading performed by a second qualified translator?

This is recommended as human error is natural and the more eyes on a text the better.

The bottom line is that clear communication will lead to a better working relationship and, ultimately, a better final product.

As an experienced translation agency with highly-qualified translators located around the globe, BeTranslated could be the right translation service provider for you.

Check out our past clients and some of our translator bios to get a clearer picture of the work we do. If you still have questions or are interested in a free, no-obligation quote, get in touch!

We look forward to working with you.