As the pace of digitalization accelerates, the translation industry is undergoing a significant transformation. Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies have sparked both exciting opportunities and serious debates in the field of translation, especially in recent years. Experts hold differing views on how these technologies are affecting the sector.
Cihan Kılıç Aydın, founder of Turkey’s well-established Eylül Translation, evaluated the impact of AI on the translation industry, stating:
“AI tools offer significant advantages in terms of speed and cost. However, translation is not just about converting words; it also involves conveying cultural and emotional contexts. Naturally, AI has some clear benefits: high-speed translation capabilities, cost reduction, and broad accessibility across different languages. Yet, these technologies also come with notable limitations—insufficient handling of cultural context and emotional tone, a higher risk of errors in complex texts, and security vulnerabilities related to data privacy, which is extremely important in our sector.”
Human Translators Still Outperform Artificial Intelligence
Highlighting the superiority of human translators over AI, Aydın said:
“Translation is not just about the words; it’s also crucial to preserve the meaning, feeling, and cultural context. At this point, the value provided by human translators remains indispensable. Human translators can reflect emotional and semantic depth, produce translations suitable for local cultures, offer creative solutions, and provide more reliable services in terms of privacy and security. Moreover, the requirement that documents in the translation sector must be prepared and approved by sworn translators is something AI simply cannot fulfill.”
Artificial Intelligence Carries Certain Security Risks
Data security is one of the most critical concerns in translating sensitive documents. According to Aydın, AI poses certain risks in this regard:
“AI-based translation tools generally operate on cloud systems, which increases the risk of sensitive information falling into the hands of third parties. In contrast, professional translation companies work under security protocols, sign confidentiality agreements, and take special security measures for sensitive documents.”
The Future of the Industry: Are Hybrid Models on the Horizon?
Experts predict that hybrid models will come to the forefront in the future of the translation industry. While AI offers speed and cost advantages, human translators are expected to handle quality control and final edits. Commenting on these forecasts, Aydın said:
“We believe models where AI and human translators collaborate will become more widespread in the future. AI will provide speed and efficiency, while humans will ensure quality and cultural alignment. However, I don’t think this field will be completely handed over to AI. Considering quality work productivity as well as security and confidentiality, translation companies and sworn translators deliver far higher quality than AI alone can provide.”
