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Language translation services have thrived despite Google Translate etc because they did so poorly. However the LLM do a pretty amazing job translating idiomati

Language translation services have thrived despite Google Translate etc because they did so poorly. However the LLM do a pretty amazing job translating idiomatic language, so I think translating text as a career is effectively over beyond editorial revision of the automated text. Try in ChatGPT asking it to translate some passage of relative complexity into idiomatic Thai. Start a new chat. Ask it to translate the Thai, pasted in, into idiomatic English. This was always a way to test how bad exactly Google translate is. It’s essentially flawless with ChatGPT. I showed my brother in law, who is Thai in Thailand and who works for an English speaking multinational. It’s revolutionized his job. He struggled to be understood, and struggled with Google translate to make something understandable. Now he’s able to conduct his business without friction.

forgetfulness 4y ago
It'll probably remain for the very complex translation tasks that are performed by highly qualified experts, like translating poetry from archaic versions of modern languages and such. Also diplomatic exchanges and official translations of documents, where you can't just deflect blame to an AI tool for something that could damage international relations or leave someone without a visa or nationality. More regular "business" translation will probably be displaced by AI tools.
- je42 4y ago
  Before making this assumption: ask chatgpt 4.0 right now. In general the default should flip from it can't do x to it can do it until ypu tried it and verfied it. Also, be sure to retest with every new release.
  - 6510 4y ago
    Reminds me of a story about a surgeon who was an angry opponent of robot surgery until he watched it. When it went in though a tiny hole for what use to require cutting a door in the patient he was already convinced.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
acdha 4y ago
> Language translation services have thrived I had some modest experience with this and “thrived” doesn’t line up with how the translators I worked with described it even a decade ago – they loved our project because we valued quality, whereas most of the work they were seeing was rapidly declining wages because Google Translate was good enough to get businesses to decide they didn’t need to pay much for humans. I’m pretty sure you’re right that this is the death knell for translation as a career unless it’s in combination with some other scholarly skill.

forgetfulness 4y ago

It'll probably remain for the very complex translation tasks that are performed by highly qualified experts, like translating poetry from archaic versions of modern languages and such. Also diplomatic exchanges and official translations of documents, where you can't just deflect blame to an AI tool for something that could damage international relations or leave someone without a visa or nationality. More regular "business" translation will probably be displaced by AI tools.

je42 4y ago
Before making this assumption: ask chatgpt 4.0 right now. In general the default should flip from it can't do x to it can do it until ypu tried it and verfied it. Also, be sure to retest with every new release.
- 6510 4y ago
  Reminds me of a story about a surgeon who was an angry opponent of robot surgery until he watched it. When it went in though a tiny hole for what use to require cutting a door in the patient he was already convinced.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]

acdha 4y ago

> Language translation services have thrived I had some modest experience with this and “thrived” doesn’t line up with how the translators I worked with described it even a decade ago – they loved our project because we valued quality, whereas most of the work they were seeing was rapidly declining wages because Google Translate was good enough to get businesses to decide they didn’t need to pay much for humans. I’m pretty sure you’re right that this is the death knell for translation as a career unless it’s in combination with some other scholarly skill.