Recent developments in AI technology, such as OpenAI’s GPT language models, have advanced machine translation (MT) by leaps and bounds. It’s estimated that GPT-4 can decrease the cost of translation and localization efforts by 50%.
Yet despite the lure of AI as an affordable and effective translator, it’s clear that it can’t deliver the level of accuracy and depth of meaning that businesses need to make an impact. This is especially true for translations requiring human creativity, such as content related to marketing and customer support.
But that doesn’t mean you should send AI to the scrap heap. AI offers major benefits as a translator, in that it delivers baseline-quality translations at incredible speed. When merged with human creativity and reasoning, AI can dramatically improve the rate, quality and cost of expert translation.
This is called expert in the loop (EITL) translation, a method that combines machine translation and oversight by a certified human translator. While it’s not suited for every type of translation, EITL is making high-level translation much more accessible than it was even a year ago. In this article, we’ll cover the pros and cons of EITL and tell you if it’s right for your needs.
What is Expert in the Loop Translation?
Expert in the Loop Translation is an AI-driven translation coupled with human expertise. It's a model designed around collaboration where a certified translator guides the AI’s efforts and addresses its shortfalls during and after translation.
A typical EITL workflow starts with AI generating the foundational translation—this sort of quick, baseline translation is what the AI does best.
After reviewing the output, the expert translator may instruct the AI to retranslate certain sections to improve the base translation. The output is then refined and polished by the expert during the post-editing process.
It’s important to understand that a successful “relationship” between machine translation (MT) and an expert requires ongoing human assessment and editing. Experts don’t simply proofread AI-generated translations. They guide the AI throughout the translation cycle and carefully edit the content before submission.
Some assume that AI works when an expert translator pushes a magic button and waits for the output. But the real process is more like the relationship between a driver and a car. The driver (our expert) must have the skill to operate the vehicle (the AI). And, they have to keep their hands on the wheel throughout the trip in order to reach their destination.
The Benefits of Expert in the Loop Translation
Only a short time ago, MT was not viewed as a practical method of translation for most types of content. With today’s advances in AI, all of that has changed. AI is now capable of delivering cost-effective solutions without sacrificing quality as long as an expert holds the reigns.
Here are a few reasons why many businesses are opting for expert in the loop translation services.
- Budget-friendly: EITL translation requires far fewer man-hours than traditional human translation, dramatically reducing costs without compromising quality.
- High Accuracy: AI’s technical accuracy is very high when translating formal, professional and non-complex content. When human experts hone the message, translations are spot-on.
- Versatility: AI is able to translate far more content than previous MT tech, including blog articles, internal communications, business documents and more.
- Speed: AI reduces the time it takes to complete a translation by as much as 50%, increasing the agility of your international operations.
Expert in the loop translation is the future of the translation industry. While humans will always be necessary to guide the AI and ensure accuracy and cohesive meaning, MT will continue to advance, connecting people around the globe with greater speed and efficiency.
If you haven’t yet considered EITL translation for your business, contact Wolfestone Group today to schedule a personal demonstration.
Understanding the Limitations of Expert in the Loop Translation
EITL translation is a huge step forward in the language services industry, but it’s not suitable for all types of translation. While AI is incredibly impressive, it’s still not advanced enough to match the quality of a human translation. And that’s ok in certain cases, like when documents require a mostly direct translation, such as memos or technical documents.
For other types of documents, the AI is not skilled enough to practically assist the expert. And in other cases, it’s not trustworthy enough to get the job done right. Translations not suited for EITL include:
Critical documents: Important legal contracts, documents that must adhere to global compliance standards, etc.
Highly creative content: Nuanced content, such as marketing materials, is often less about the words and more about the message.
Linguistically complex content: AI is not advanced enough to reliably translate complex language like slang, dialects, accents, modern niche terminology, certain metaphors and more.
The above translations often need a profound understanding of culture, meticulous attention to detail and sensitivity to nuances. These are areas where AI, at least for now, doesn’t match up to certified translators.
Achieve Global Growth with Expert in the Loop Translation
Expert in the loop translation leverages the benefits of AI to deliver human-quality translations faster and more affordably. This has the potential to vastly improve the agility of businesses that operate globally. Faster translations at lower costs grease the wheels of communication, marketing, and operations at scale.
However, benefiting from EITL translation relies on understanding the strengths and limitations of the process. Like a car and its driver, the quality of EITL translations depends on the skill of the translator and the capabilities of the AI.
Businesses considering expert in the loop translation must remember to use this method only for suitable documents. When partnering with a translation company that offers EITL services, ask for a full breakdown of their process to ensure they offer legitimate EITL translations (and not just raw machine translation with basic human edits).
Wolfestone Group: EITL Translation for Businesses
If you're interested in improving your global operations and cutting costs with expert in the loop translation, you need a linguistics partner that understands the needs of businesses and the latest AI advances.
Wolfestone Group has been a leader in human and machine translation for nearly 2 decades. Today, we build bespoke EITL processes according to each client’s needs. Our process includes the latest AI translation technology, an expert translator with at least 5 years of experience in your sector and the most robust quality control assurances in the industry.
At Wolfestone Group, cutting-edge AI technology synergizes with certified translators to deliver top-tier expert in the loop translation. And all of this, at a cost that works for you at scale.
Contact Wolfestone Group today for a free consultation, and learn how EITL translation can give your global enterprise an edge.
