Will artificial intelligence translate better than humans in 2025?

Meta, Google, and other tech giants are investing millions of dollars in AI research, so the next few years will be crucial for its integration into our lives. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman believes that it won’t be long before AI is able to perform any intellectual tasks that today only us humans can handle. Does this mean that translators are about to become unemployed because of the artificial intelligence? Let’s break it down in this article.

Translation development trends

Modern AI systems already demonstrate excellent capabilities in generating text that is hardly distinguishable from human-written one. These systems understand complex queries, compose poems, write novels, let alone dissertations. All these achievements pave the way for further development, which may ultimately lead to a new technological era.

The field of translation is no exception. So the main milestones are:

1. Neural machine translation (NMT) made possible the consideration of context and the adaptation of written translations to the stylistic features of the text.
2. The CAT programs have facilitated the editing process and ensured a high level of accuracy even in complex specialized texts.
3. The integration of AI with text, audio, and video processing allows for translating content in various formats, such as subtitles or voice messages. And it also simplifies the localization process, although it still requires our help to ensure cultural appropriateness and stylistic nuances.

So, AI still cannot fully perform localization, which involves not just a simple translation of words but also adapting content to the cultural and social characteristics of the target audience. To give an example, the service will accurately translate the text for advertising children’s products into Japanese, in which a stork brings a chubby baby to young parents. However, this will not make sense for Japanese consumers, because for them, the stork is just a bird that is not associated with children in their local culture.

That being said, the role of artificial intelligence in the work process of translators should not be underestimated. It became a full-fledged team member, effectively completing tasks and simplifying project execution.

AI translation advantages

Artificial intelligence has obvious pros that make it an indispensable tool in the modern translation industry. Here are the main benefits:

• Request processing speed

When it comes to translation quality to the time spent ratio, AI surpasses any professional software and even the most experienced translator. It’s not about a perfect text, just an instant result. AI-based services allow for a significant acceleration of the processes of input and output of translated material, benefiting not only the performers but also the clients.

• A wide range of languages to work with

Although localization with the use of AI is not yet available, there are already translation services that deal even with rare languages, both in oral translation and written, like technical translation.

• Affordability

The use of machine translation not only speeds up project completion but also spares the budget. In the case of AI, cost-effectiveness goes hand-in-hand with quality. At the same time, the results strongly depend on the complexity of the text and the specific tool you use.

• Integrating AI in your workflow

Artificial intelligence tools easily integrate into translation management systems (TMS) and simplify all processes. They automate routine tasks, such as terminology management and glossary maintenance, allowing translators to focus on more complex stages of work. This significantly increases productivity and reduces project execution time.

Even so, the experts at the MK:translations LSP are confident that AI is still far from surpassing experienced translators. So 2025 will definitely not become the year of complete AI domination. Since business development is impossible without localization, AI still has something to learn from humans.