Good day, Habr. I present to your attention the translation of the article: Author .
- Will technological advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence pose a serious threat to the work of translators?
- Will linguists-translators be replaced by computers?
- How can translators adapt to these changes?
- Will computer translation achieve 100% accuracy within the next decade?
These are the questions that probably cross the minds of millions of translators today. In fact, not only to them, but to hundreds of other experts who will soon lose their jobs if they don't find ways to adapt to this new life. An example of how technology is taking over human jobs is the self-driving cars that Google has been secretly testing for a year, released onto the streets in 2019 for a surprised public to see as if it were in a Hollywood sci-fi movie.
Does art imitate life or does life imitate art?
Oscar Wilde, in his 1889 essay The Decline of the Art of Lying, writes that "life imitates art much more than art imitates life." In the movie I, Robot in 2035, highly intelligent machines take over government positions around the world, following the three laws of robotics. Despite a difficult history with robotics, Detective Del Spooner (Will Smith) investigates the alleged suicide of US Robotics founder Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell) and believes a humanoid robot (Alan Tudyk) killed him. With the help of a robotic expert (Bridget Moynahan), Spooner uncovers a conspiracy that could enslave the human race. It sounds amazing, even rather impossible, but it is not. Remember the movie Star Trek? Probably, things from "Star Trek" will soon appear in our world. And while people are still waiting for FTL engines and teleporters, some of the technology shown in the show as wildly futuristic is now available. Here are some examples of ideas that seemed fantastic at the time of the film's release.
Cell Phones: At a time when landline phones were hanging on the walls, this seemed like a cool futuristic idea.
Tablets: Their versions were PADDs which were tablet devices used to read reports, books and other information including floor plans and diagnostics.
Virtual assistants: the crew of the Enterprise could talk "to the air", the team could ask questions to the computer and immediately receive an answer. Today, most people use this feature on their phones with Google Assistant and Apple's Siri.
Video calls: Star Trek was built on technology far ahead of its time. Skype and Facetime with a video call function seem like something ordinary, but at the time of the film's release, this could only be dreamed of.
Amazing, isn't it?
Now let's return to the problem of translators.
Will technological advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence pose a serious threat to the work of translators?
Not to say it's a threat, but it has already changed the way professional translators work. Many companies require the use of CAT (Computer-Aided Translation) programs, such as Trados, for example, and most translators these days use these programs to provide fast, consistent, and accurate translations, including quality checks to get the highest score. The downside is that contextual matches, PerfectMatch, and other aspects can reduce the number of words that are translated without CAT programs, which means lower rates for the translator, given that the "computer" has done some of the work itself. But it cannot be denied that these tools are extremely useful for both translators and similar agencies.
Will linguists-translators be replaced by computers?
Let's start with the fact that computers are "trying" to mimic the human brain!
The human brain is the most complex structure in the universe. It is no exaggeration to say that the brain is an impressive organ. No other brain in the animal kingdom is capable of generating the kind of "Higher Consciousness" associated with human ingenuity, with the ability to plan and write poetry. However, there are more mysteries in the human brain than in the least explored areas of the ocean. One Hour Translation CEO Ofer Shoshan said that within one to three years, Neural Machine Technology (NMT) translators will be doing more than 50% of the work handled by the $40 billion market. The director's words contrast sharply with the oft-repeated dictum that in the near future, artificial intelligence will primarily enhance, not replace the human factor. The thing is, languages are extremely complex. Even a professional experienced translator will struggle to actually know how to translate certain words. Why? Because context matters. Instead of being replaced by computers, translators will be more like copywriters as they complete the work done by machines, using judgment to give soul to text by choosing the right words.
How can translators adapt to these changes?
First of all, face the truth! Translators who do not agree that these changes will be left behind and endangered species of dinosaurs, and no one wants to be a dinosaur, right? Some experts believe that half a million human translators and 21 agencies may soon lose their jobs. Then what can you do to keep your work safe?
Don't resist! Technology is created for our own benefit to make life easier. If you don't know how to use CAT programs, create term bases, run QA (Quality Assurance) and other technologies, hurry up! It's never too late to learn. These incredible machines are made to help. They will always need an experienced translator. There are many videos on Youtube that show you how to use them, some of them are free. Don't be "oldies"! Keep looking for new technologies, tools, software… read articles about innovation, constantly promote your own brand, take online courses on any topic that might fit. If you want to specialize in marketing translations, for example, take the Google Adwords (now Ads) course. Remember that a new translation is a new experience. Some experienced translators believe they know everything, which is a false and presumptuous idea.
Will computer translation achieve 100% accuracy within the next decade?
Given the complexity of the human brain, do you believe that computers can achieve the same level? There is no doubt about it. Remember Star Trek? "I am a robot"? The Jetsons? Suppose you live in the Middle Ages, would you believe if you were told that in the future people would be able to travel to the moon? Think about it!
So, what will our new decade be like?
Source: habr.com