Artificial intelligence has made a spectacular entrance into the world of translation with tools like ChatGPT, available for free on Yiaho, capable of translating texts in just a few seconds, at no cost and with sometimes astonishing accuracy.
But does this technological feat spell the end of the translator’s job?
As businesses and individuals adopt these tools for everyday needs, human translators face a crucial question: is AI a threat or an ally?
This article, written by the Yiaho Team, explores how AI—from ChatGPT to Gemini—is transforming the translation landscape, its strengths, its flaws, and what that means for the future of industry professionals, with a particular focus on the French-speaking world.
ChatGPT: a fast, versatile translator
Launched in November 2022 by OpenAI, ChatGPT is built on the GPT architecture to deliver translations in dozens of languages, including French. Its advantages are clear:
- Unmatched speed: An email, a web page, or a contract can be translated in seconds, without specialized software or a professional translator. A French restaurant owner can, for example, translate their menu into English for tourists in an instant.
- Stylistic adaptation: ChatGPT doesn’t stick to a literal translation; it adjusts the tone, shifting from formal language to a more casual style. Translating “T’as vu, c’est génial !” into English becomes “Yo, it’s awesome!”, capturing the energy of the original.
- Universal accessibility: Free or low-cost, ChatGPT democratizes translation, enabling small businesses or freelancers to communicate internationally without a big budget.
Test performed: Translating the expression “Faire d’une pierre deux coups” into Spanish gives “Matar dos pájaros de un tiro”, a correct idiomatic version, showing a certain command of set expressions. But is this reliability consistent?
The limits of AI: humans remain essential
Despite its performance, ChatGPT has shortcomings that highlight the importance of human translators:
- Approximate cultural nuances: AI struggles to grasp cultural subtleties. Translating “On n’est pas sorti de l’auberge” often yields “We’re not out of the woods”, which is correct but lacks the French flavor. A slogan like “La vie en rose” may be translated literally (“Life in pink”) rather than creatively adapted.
- Weaknesses in specialized texts: In fields like law or medicine, AI can lack precision. Translating a legal excerpt such as “La clause de non-concurrence est réputée non écrite si elle excède deux ans” produces a correct but overly generic version, far from the technical terms an expert would prefer.
- Context issues and bias: Trained on massive datasets, ChatGPT can misread context or reproduce AI biases. For regional languages like Breton or Corsican, its translations are often approximate due to insufficient data.
- Need for post-editing: Machine translations require human review, especially for sensitive content, which can be just as time-consuming as translating manually.
Test performed: Translating an excerpt from a novel by Marguerite Duras, with its poetic, elliptical style, yields a fluent English version but one that lacks emotional nuance—where a literary translator would have preserved the soul of the text.
The translator’s job redefined: from executor to supervisor
Rather than replacing translators, ChatGPT is reshaping their role, turning them into supervisors and experts:
- Essential post-editing: Translators correct machine translations, ensuring accuracy and cultural fit. This work requires expertise to spot subtle errors.
- Stronger specialization: Areas where AI is limited—like literature, audiovisual subtitling, or legal texts—are becoming sought-after niches. Adapting the dialogue of a series like Lupin requires a finesse AI doesn’t have.
- Collaboration with AI: Translators integrate ChatGPT or computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools, like our online translator on Yiaho, to speed up repetitive tasks while reserving their expertise for creative aspects.
The future of the profession: resilience in the face of competition
The translation market remains strong. In France, the number of translators and interpreters rose from 6,270 in 2016 to 7,400 in 2021, according to INSEE, a sign of sustained demand. However, challenges lie ahead:
- Price pressure: Businesses, drawn by AI’s zero cost, may favor machine translation for simple content (emails, product descriptions), reducing opportunities for non-specialized translators.
- Specialization as an advantage: Translators specialized in dubbing, medical translation, or video game localization remain hard to replace. Adapting a game like Assassin’s Creed for the French market requires cultural understanding beyond AI’s reach.
- Tailored training: Schools like ESIT in Paris are integrating AI into their programs, training students to work with these tools while sharpening their critical eye.
How translators can leverage AI
Far from suffering from AI, translators can use it to reinvent themselves:
- Focus on creativity: Projects that need a human touch, like advertising slogans or novels, remain an area where translators excel. Translating a campaign for Chanel requires creativity AI can’t match.
- Mastering the tools: Using ChatGPT or CAT software speeds up routine tasks, freeing up time for complex projects.
- Educating clients: Translators can show clients why human input is crucial for quality results, highlighting AI’s shortcomings.
Also read on this topic: How can ChatGPT help me? 10 practical examples
Translator: Is AI ending the profession?
ChatGPT and AI won’t make the translator’s job disappear, but they are transforming it profoundly.
If AI shines for fast, standardized translations, it stumbles on cultural nuances, specialized texts, and creativity. Translators who adapt—by specializing, collaborating with AI, and showcasing their expertise—will remain indispensable.
The future of translation rests on a smart partnership, where humans bring what machines can’t: heart, context, and culture!
Source: INSEE
