A CEO of a startup claims that human translators won’t be needed in three years, as a new AI-powered translation app is released.

Until now, translation from one human language to another required human involvement, despite the existence of IT tools capable of performing translation tasks. This was due to the nuances of language, such as synonyms, subtle meanings, idioms, irony, or sarcasm, which cannot be accurately conveyed between languages through straightforward translation. However, new translation tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI) are emerging, with claims that they will completely replace human involvement.

On Wednesday, Unbabel announced a new AI-supported translation service, adding another competitor to the highly competitive field. The company’s CEO warned that humans might no longer be needed for translation in three years.

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Unbabel’s new product, Widn.AI, is based on the company’s proprietary large language model (LLM) called Tower. An LLM is an AI model that powers applications such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

AI Translation in 32 Languages

Unbabel’s LLM enables AI-powered translation in 32 languages, said Vasco Pedro, the company’s CEO, in an interview with CNBC during the Web Summit in Lisbon.

“When we started Unbabel 10 years ago, AI wasn’t at the stage it is now, so we focused heavily on creating hybrid solutions that combined AI and human input,” Pedro said.

“But I think, for the first time, we believe translation is now fully within AI’s capabilities, and you can do a lot without needing humans for translation.”

Unbabel’s traditional product combined machine learning, a type of AI, for translating words, while human editors ensured the final output’s quality.

Humans Still Hold a Slight Advantage in Very Complex Cases

Widn.AI will not require human involvement.
“I think humans still hold a slight advantage in very complex use cases. But this advantage is so small now that, except for the most truly difficult use cases, we believe AI is really getting there, and it’s hard for me to see how, three years from now, humans will be needed to translate anything,” Pedro said.

“There will still be people responsible for ensuring texts are translated and rendered correctly,” he added.

Widn.AI is the latest product in an increasingly competitive market, which includes Google Translate and products from the German startup DeepL.

These companies see translation as a key area where LLMs can be effectively utilized, with trained models specifically designed to handle various languages.

Pedro acknowledges that revenue per translated word is expected to “decrease significantly.” However, he noted that the volume of translated content will increase, maintaining the company’s growth.

Unbabel is in talks with investors, aiming to raise $20–50 million in funding to support research and development for Widn.AI, according to Pedro.
Source: https://www.ot.gr/2024/11/17/texnologia/texniti-noimosyni/texniti-noimosyni-mporei-na-antikatastisei-ton-anthropo-stis-metafraseis/