There will always be advocates for AI in service industries and technological support and those against it. On the one hand, AI has drawbacks in regular translation services. Computer learning is smart and getting smarter all the time, but there are still glaring issues. A big problem is the lack of authenticity in the translation. The sentences produced aren’t always 100% in line with local dialects or more conversational ways of speaking. You can also get odd mistranslations and unusual pronunciations. Human translators provide more experience and care, and you know the work comes from someone with skill and passion.
On the other hand, there are benefits to using AI interpreting in certain situations. There are times when the human approach does work as well, and one of those is real-time translation. Some amazing people can listen to one conversation and relate what’s said in another while people are still talking. However, it takes a lot of skill and concentration to appreciate exactly what was said, the context and tone, and how to translate it in time. The last thing clients need is a translator stumbling over words or falling behind. The more high-profile the event, the more problematic this becomes. For example, there is no room for error at a multinational conference like a UN meeting or G8 summit.
Real-Time Audio Translation Services
One common way that AI interpreting can help with translations is through real-time audio files. Audio translation is one of the best ways to understand speech in a meeting or a conference while attendees are engaging with other guests. A compatible headset relays the translated speech to the wearer so they can hear a version of what’s being said in the right language. The benefit of these devices in a multinational setting is that you could have an important speaker presenting their address in Spanish and then have native English, French, and Mandarin speakers hear a version in their native language. The listener can still be present in the room and engage with the event by watching the speaker and paying attention to any additional visual aids. They’ll just have the added benefit of being able to understand it better.
The quality of the real-time interpreting system will depend on the company you work with. There is the risk of some misspoken words or a delay in the file with some cheaper programs and less experienced developers. The potential risks associated with that all depend on the situation. Are you on a call or in a more casual meeting where you can rely on context cues and review information later if there are flaws in the audio? Or, is this a conference where every word and piece of dialect counts in order to understand key details and progress with proposals or business deals?
The best AI translation providers will work to make sure their service is as accurate and reliable as possible. They will ensure that the service is available on different devices and in as many languages as possible. Look out for those that promise full multilingualism rather than someone specializing in one language. You may do the majority of your work with one region, say Arabic-speaking clients, but what if they are collaborating with someone who speaks Farsi as their native language?
From there, you can also look for companies offering a wider range of services. For example, it may be possible to get a transcript of the audio heard at the end of the event. These documents can offer so much value when there are crucial decisions to make. It can be difficult to retain everything heard in one presentation or to write legible shorthand notes for an entire speech. You might miss something important along the way that could have an impact on your prospects. A transcript lets you revisit points, highlight things for your own reports and presentations, and offer a physical record of the speech in your own language. You can also take this back to colleagues in your native country to help them out. Maybe they saw pieces of the speech in the original language and wanted clarification over what was actually said.
Real-Time Video Translation Services
AI interpretation services aren’t limited to audio files. As helpful as those audio files are in multi-person conferences and face-to-face meetings, they aren’t for everyone. For a start, they aren’t going to do much good for those with hearing impairments. That’s why it’s so beneficial to bring in a subtitle service for use with portable devices. As with the audio, users can see the text appear in real-time on the screen and follow along. There may be more of a disconnect in the room while staring at a screen, but you could end up taking in more information. The long-term benefits are much the same. You get a better understanding of the exact speech given or the subtle word choices in important questions to make you better able to provide the right answers and complete your reports.
Again, the quality of the translation service and its products is vital here. As you probably know from using subtitles and captions on live television or online streams, they can be pretty far off the mark. The tech hears a homonym and puts up the wrong word or simply has no idea what was said and creates jibberish. They can also lag behind on fast-paced speech. It doesn’t have to be that way when working with more high-end services. These programs, when used with compatible devices, should be more responsive and more reliable thanks to the skills of the designers. You should also be able to choose from a wide range of languages. To that point, you may find you can use captions in your native language as a general tool for better accessibility in the workplace. Adding these to training material or supplying devices for corporate meetings could be well-received by those with hearing loss.
High-Level Translation For High-Profile Events
Whatever you might need real-time translation for, it pays to work with a professional and experienced company. Find the ones who can speak dozens of languages and create smart AI interpreting programs that truly understand speech. These systems could make it so much easier to understand guest speakers, foreign dignitaries, clients, and anyone else speaking in another language. Also, consider adding transcripts and subtitles for greater accessibility. The more you have, the more you’ll understand.
Photo credits: Coworking London