Machine translation: A time-saver or a time bomb?

Machine translation (MT) isn’t evil, but neither is it a silver bullet. Therefore, like with any tech novelty, businesses should use it wisely to enjoy its benefits rather than falling into pitfalls. 

In fact, machines can produce quick and decent-quality results. MT saves significant time and expenses. But you should never fall under the temptation to skip the human eye. With competent guidance, technology can be a great productivity booster.

However, We’ve also seen the flip side. There was a case when a quick translation by Chat GPT led to inappropriate pitch documentation, causing the loss of a project worth tens of thousands of euros. The next opportunity to pitch wouldn’t come for several years. Painful.

So, where’s the golden mean?

• Understand the limitations of machine translation.
• Use MT when you need just a quick job without superior accuracy.
• Always involve a human expert for critical documents when precision, brand reputation, or legal compliance is at stake.

Translation is about understanding and precise content delivery. When business reputation or strategic tasks are involved, no technology can substitute a skilled linguist.