Technological advances have made it possible for machines to take over tasks that were once the exclusive domain of humans. The translation industry is no exception to this trend, and therefore the introduction of ChatGPT is expected to have a significant impact on the way translations are done.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is a large-scale language model trained by OpenAI that can generate human-like text, answer questions, and even translate languages. Its neural network is capable of learning language patterns and structures and can be fine-tuned to perform various language tasks, including translations.
One of the most significant impacts ChatGPT will have on the translation industry is the speed and efficiency with which translations can be done. Unlike human translators, ChatGPT can translate large amounts of text in seconds. In addition, ChatGPT can help reduce costs for businesses and organizations that require translations. Traditional professional translation methods can be costly, requiring the services of highly skilled and native-speaking professionals who charge a premium for their work. ChatGPT, on the other hand, is a machine and therefore does not require a salary or extra services. This means that the cost of translation services can be significantly reduced, making them more accessible to small and medium-sized businesses. But at the end of the day…
Should companies put their trust in ChatGPT?
There is no doubt that despite the advantages that ChatGPT offers, there are still significant challenges and shortages with this softwate, that cannot be overcome, and therefore it cannot replace professional translators.
Challenge #1: ChatGPT vs. context
One of the biggest challenges is the ability to understand the context. Human professional translators can understand context, especially for business documents, and can interpret meaning accordingly. ChatGPT, on the other hand, relies on patterns and structures in the text, which means that it is only able to accurately translate the intended meaning of a document in a few cases. Therefore, it would be naive for business professionals in the medical, education, gaming, technology, or tourism industries to rely entirely on AI-assisted translation.
Challenge #2: ChatGPT vs. nuance
Another challenge is the ability to translate nuances in languages, such as idioms or culture-specific expressions. ChatGPT can accurately decipher the literal meaning of a sentence, but may not be able to convey the intended meaning behind the words. This is where human-verified translators have an advantage, as they can accurately understand the cultural and linguistic nuances inherent in a language.
Challenge #3: ChatGPT vs. bias
As an AI language model, ChatGPT provides translations of text from one language to another. However, it is important to note that the translations are not perfect because the data used to train the system contains biases or reflect societal biases. Therefore, these biases may unintentionally influence the translations. On the other hand, human translators can detect relevant translation errors and inconsistencies that a machine translation system is most likely to miss.
Challenge #4: ChatGPT vs. repetitive and limited phraseology
When asked to produce new content on a given topic, the software uses limited phraseology and repeates a lot of its own ideas with only slightly different expressions.
Challanege #5: ChatGPT vs. humour or irony
The software is limited in its capacity to capture or render humour or irony in either source or translared languages.
How can Paspartu help your business grow?
It is important to recognize the limitations of ChatGPT and consider preferring a professional human translator for important business documents or communications where accuracy and nuance are critical.
Paspartu’s translation services can understand cultural nuances and convey meanings in a way that a machine translation system cannot. Rely on our 550 native-speaker expert translators to provide your business with solid, accurate translations that will set you apart from the competition.
Want to stay competitive in a fast-paced global marketplace? Request a quote here: https://www.paspartutranslations.com/contact-us-2/
