Here, at Zab Translation Solutions, we’re big on automation and optimization. We realize it’s the only way to be competitive. Therefore, we’ve also been spending a lot of time with ChatGPT. I personally really like ChatGPT. It’s fun! It’s addicting. It’s useful enough that we’ve bought multiple subscriptions for testing. We’ve even implemented it in some basic automation processes.
It’s also gimmicky, problematic, and, in many ways, more hype than reality. However, a wise man once told me, “This is the worst it will ever be”, which is probably true. Therefore, we’ll continue to use it as much as it is helpful in what we are trying to accomplish.
Will it replace human translators? Maybe one day, but that day isn’t anywhere in the near future as far as I can tell. Unfortunately, too many people are sucked into the vortex of believing that it’s currently in a state to replace translators. This is simply untrue – on multiple levels.
The first, and most basic problem, is that most people don’t stop to realize that translation is rarely just copy-and-paste of text. A real translation project isn’t this:
It’s also gimmicky, problematic, and, in many ways, more hype than reality. However, a wise man once told me, “This is the worst it will ever be”, which is probably true. Therefore, we’ll continue to use it as much as it is helpful in what we are trying to accomplish.
Will it replace human translators? Maybe one day, but that day isn’t anywhere in the near future as far as I can tell. Unfortunately, too many people are sucked into the vortex of believing that it’s currently in a state to replace translators. This is simply untrue – on multiple levels.
The first, and most basic problem, is that most people don’t stop to realize that translation is rarely just copy-and-paste of text. A real translation project isn’t this:
It’s this:
ChatGPT wouldn’t even know where to get started if you try to present it a problem like the realistic one above. And even when you ask ChatGPT to help you with something multiple times simpler than that, then you get the following conversation:
AI cannot and should not be ignored. However, it's unfortunately become an inappropriate replacement in far too many instances while still in its early infancy.
With regards to translation in particular, please also keep the following issues in mind:
For now, we’re going to stay in our lane and continue to enjoy ChatGPT (and similar AI), and implement it as much as it is useful to what we are doing. However, we’re not going to pretend it works miracles, because it doesn’t.
(By the way, ChatGPT wrote a good percentage of this article, with human review, of course, so it even agrees. 🤣)
With regards to translation in particular, please also keep the following issues in mind:
- If you are providing any confidential material to ChatGPT, this information will essentially be made public. Ensure you are not breaking any agreements with your customers or even potentially breaking laws by doing this.
- As Vanderbilt University's student newspaper reported: "There is a sick and twisted irony to making a computer write your message about community and togetherness because you can’t be bothered to reflect on it yourself.” -Bethanie Stauffer. Let's use AI where it makes sense. Let's use it to enhance what we are doing. However, let's not get caught up in the hype or false belief that it is ready to start replacing humans because we are lazy in our understanding or use of it.
- Since ChatGPT is currently far from perfect, how do you want your target audience to feel? Do you want quality, or do you want your non-English speakers to feel like second-rate customers? Would you allow a 12-year-old to write your English content or translate for you? What about software QA, file formatting, etc.? ChatGPT will fail miserably here (and probably won’t even be able to do anything at all).
- Along these same lines, when you think about translation, take into consideration how much time and money you spent to create the equivalent English product. You shouldn’t need to spend the same amount for translation, but you also shouldn’t think you can get away with a professional translation “on the cheap” either.
For now, we’re going to stay in our lane and continue to enjoy ChatGPT (and similar AI), and implement it as much as it is useful to what we are doing. However, we’re not going to pretend it works miracles, because it doesn’t.
(By the way, ChatGPT wrote a good percentage of this article, with human review, of course, so it even agrees. 🤣)
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