Ever since ChatGPT and its by-products entered the translation stage, they have been widely used to translate text from one language to another. After all, they are fast and, most importantly, free.
The question that everyone in the translation industry is asking now is: will AI translation ever replace human translation?
The answer is a resounding no, at least for the time being. AI translation is still deeply flawed and has a lot to learn in terms of linguistic nuances. However, we can’t deny the obvious – AI is here to stay, and translators need to come to terms with it and adapt to this fast-changing technology.
Machine Translation Post-Editing (or MTPE, the process whereby humans amend machine-generated translation to achieve an acceptable final product) is becoming the norm for many companies that have linguistic needs.
We asked ChatGPT why AI translations should be proofread by a human. This was its answer:
AI translations should be proofread by a human because:
- Context & Nuance – AI often struggles with idioms, cultural references, and context-specific meanings. A human can ensure the translation makes sense in the given context.
- Accuracy – While AI is improving, it can still produce incorrect or awkward translations, especially with complex sentence structures or technical terms.
- Tone & Style – AI may not fully grasp the intended tone (formal, informal, humorous, persuasive) and may translate too literally. Humans can adjust for a natural and appropriate flow.
- Grammar & Readability – AI can generate grammatically correct but unnatural phrasing. A human can refine the text to sound more fluent.
- Cultural Sensitivity – Some words or phrases may carry unintended connotations or be offensive in certain cultures. A human can catch and correct these issues.
- Industry-Specific Jargon – AI may misinterpret specialized terminology in fields like medicine, law, or engineering. A professional proofreader ensures accuracy.
AI is a great tool, but human proofreading ensures clarity, correctness, and cultural appropriateness.
In many cases, MTPE can actually be a worse solution than hiring a human translator from the start, both linguistically and economically. Translators may fail to spot certain mistakes that they wouldn’t have missed had they done the translation themselves; and in terms of rates, in certain cases it might be even cheaper to get a human-made translation.
Also, it is important to note that, although AI is (questionably) good at written text, there are still certain linguistic solutions which AI is still not very competent at, namely those that involve audio or video, such as transcription (both bilingual and monolingual) and interpreting. AI can do the trick for subtitling and dubbing, but it still has a long way to go in terms of respecting audiovisual standards for TV and cinema.
Can AI actually be good for translators?
Yes, of course it can. Rather than a replacement, it can be a great tool for translators and make the translation process easier and more efficient. It can increase the translator’s productivity as well as providing useful research and reference resources.
Just make sure the final version is proofread by a human translator!
