Machine Translation vs. Human Translators: The Risk of Astronomical Error Rates

The article below highlights a concerning trend: machine translation vendors promoting their products despite astronomical error rates

One particular example showcases an astonishing 20-25% error rate in translation accuracy. As you can imagine, such an alarming rate is unacceptable in any field, let alone translation, where the consequences of errors can be catastrophic. Literally. Like life ‘n limb.

Unacceptable Error Rates in Machine Translation #

It’s disheartening to see tech-savvy journalists contribute to the marketing hype surrounding machine translation, without fully acknowledging the risks and limitations involved. Sloppy reporting can inadvertently promote the use of machine translation, perpetuating the cycle of subpar results.

Machine translation may have its place in certain contexts, such as quick and informal translations. However, when it comes to critical documents, legal materials, medical information, or any content where accuracy is paramount, the human touch cannot be replaced.

Furthermore, this hype is being applied to artificial intelligence (AI) powered machine translation. Folks:

The error rate is still unacceptably high!

The Importance of Accuracy in Professional Translation #

Professional human translators understand the critical nature of their work and strive for 100% accuracy. Even a mere 1% error rate would be deemed unacceptable.

This is especially true when it comes to certified Japanese translation

Certified translation demands a level of precision that machine translation simply cannot achieve. This is the reason why we rely on experienced human translators who possess the cultural knowledge, linguistic expertise, and attention to detail necessary to deliver accurate and reliable translations.

Japanese Human Translators, Unrivalled Accuracy #

Machine translation has utility; but it is not professional Japanese translation.

It’s crucial to be discerning when considering machine translation for important tasks. While the technology continues to advance, the risk of astronomical error rates remains. Don’t compromise on accuracy when it comes to your professional translation needs. Choose the expertise of human translators who can provide the quality and precision your content deserves.