AI-powered translation can seem almost magical, yet it still cannot grasp the soul of a text, its tone, intention, or the cultural nuances that only a human translator can convey.
At BigTranslation, we see how today’s world is advancing at a rapid pace, with automated communication, instant responses, system-generated content, and translations produced by artificial intelligence in mere seconds. However, when reviewing these rapid translations, it’s common to find unnatural or incoherent expressions.
This is no coincidence. While AI-based translation offers speed and efficiency, it cannot accurately interpret tone, intention, or cultural subtleties, aspects that only a professional human translator can guarantee.
Therein lies the problem. The future of translation is not about replacing people with AI, but making the most of technology and using the best tools wisely.
What are CAT tools, and why are they not the same as AI?
Let’s start by clarifying some concepts, as they are often confused. CAT (Computer-Assisted Translation) tools do not translate automatically. They are programmes that help human translators work more efficiently, quickly and consistently. Popular examples are SDL Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast and Smartcat.
These tools act like an ‘intelligent memory’, storing previous translations and suggesting them when a similar text appears. They can also manage glossaries, check terminological consistency, and detect errors. Crucially, however, all final decisions are made by the human translator.
By contrast, AI-based translation tools (such as Google Translate, DeepL or multilingual chatbots) handle the entire process themselves. There is no human oversight before or during translation, unless someone later reviews and refines the machine-generated text through human post-editing.
The fundamental difference: understanding vs. calculating
A CAT tool supports the human mind. AI, on the other hand, attempts to replace it. And that completely changes the result.
Human translation involves understanding the original message, interpreting its context and reproducing it in another language with the same meaning, tone and emotion. A translator does not merely swap words or select them based on calculated probabilities; they translate intentions, metaphors, humour, irony and cultural references. They translate the human essence.
No matter how advanced, AI cannot understand. It calculates probabilities. It chooses words according to statistical patterns or neural networks, but it doesn’t know if a text is sarcastic, poetic or technical. That is why, even when an automatic translation may appear correct at first glance, it often fails in the subtle communicative and intentional aspects, such as register, naturalness and contextual coherence.
When AI messes up (and you don’t even realise it)
We have all seen amusing, and sometimes disastrous, examples of automatic translation errors, from signs with incomprehensible instructions to product descriptions that make no sense at all.
But in professional contexts, these errors are no laughing matter. A poorly translated sentence in a contract can alter its legal meaning; a wrong term in a technical manual can cause a machine to fail; a cultural misstep in a marketing campaign can damage a brand’s image, and so on.
AI is unaware of consequences. It cannot tell when an error might cost you money or reputation. Only a human translator, exercising judgement and responsibility, can ensure that every word serves its intended purpose.
Human translation supported by CAT tools is the perfect balance
The key point is that it is not about rejecting technology, but about using it wisely. CAT tools are specifically designed for the world of translation. These programs are invaluable allies for human translators, allowing them to focus on what really matters: meaning.
With a good CAT tool, translators can:
- Maintain terminological consistency in long projects or projects involving several translators.
- Access translation memories that speed up work without sacrificing quality.
- Avoid errors thanks to integrated quality control functions.
- Increase productivity without compromising the natural flow of the text.
In short, technology should help without taking over. It allows translation to remain human, but with ‘technological superpowers’.
Why you shouldn’t blindly trust AI
You might think, ‘Well, if AI translates quickly and more or less well, why pay a human translator?’
The answer is simple: because paying for quality costs less than the consequences of errors.
Using AI to translate without human review can be useful for grasping the general sense of a text in an informal context, which is called ‘gisting’ (the essentials), but not for publishing, selling or real communication. A poor translation gives an unprofessional image, creates confusion, and, in the worst cases, can have very significant legal or reputational consequences.
Furthermore, there is something that AI cannot copy or replicate: linguistic empathy. Human translators feel the language. They know when a word ‘sounds wrong’, when a cultural expression does not fit, or when a tone needs to be softened. That sensitivity cannot be programmed.
In short, machines help, but people communicate
Human translation isn’t just a matter of accuracy; it’s a matter of connection. Translating is understanding and reinterpreting, not just converting text.
At BigTranslation, we firmly believe that the future of translation isn’t about replacing professionals with AI systems, but about using the best tools and making the most of technology wisely. CAT tools are the perfect example, the ideal combination of technology and human judgment.
So, the next time you need a translation, remember that before leaving your texts in the ‘hands’ of AI, it’s far better and advisable to rely on a human translator supported by CAT tools. This ensures your translation is fast, accurate, coherent and efficient, without losing meaning and maintaining prestige.
In a context dominated by automation, at BigTranslation we remain firmly convinced that human translation is still the only way to ensure that words truly communicate. Request your instant quote and submit your project to go out and conquer the world!
