Ask ChatGPT – August 29, 2023

My Conversations with ChatGPT
Machine Translation (MT) and translations generated by AI have brought about a paradigm shift in the translation industry. The output of MT will continue to improve, especially when associated with clients’ translation memories and human editing. Language Service Providers are adapting and are including MT in their processes, when MT is applicable. While linguists will continue to be essential in the process, their role will shift from that of translators to validators of content generated by MT. At Excel Translations, we wanted to know what AI thinks about all of this and decided to have an open conversation on the matter with ChatGPT. I will regularly publish a question and ChatGPT’s response, uncensored.

QUESTION 49:

Are more LSP’s developing their own machine translation tools, or partnering with existing ones?

Chat GPT’s Response:

Both approaches are observed in the language service provider (LSP) industry, but the trend is shifting more toward a combination of partnership with existing machine translation providers and custom tool development. The decision often depends on the LSP’s resources, expertise, client needs, and long-term goals. Here’s a breakdown of the two approaches:

1. Developing Their Own Machine Translation Tools: Some LSPs choose to develop their own machine translation tools to have more control over the translation process and to offer specialized services tailored to their clients’ specific domains. This approach can provide advantages such as customization, integration with existing workflows, and the ability to adapt the system to handle unique linguistic challenges.However, developing a high-quality machine translation system requires significant investments in terms of time, expertise, and resources. LSPs need to consider the costs and complexities of building and maintaining a reliable and competitive machine translation solution.
2. Partnering with Existing Providers: Many LSPs opt to partner with existing machine translation providers that specialize in creating high-quality translation models. These partnerships allow LSPs to leverage state-of-the-art machine translation technology without the need for extensive development efforts. They can offer their clients a reliable and tested machine translation solution while focusing on their core translation and localization services.Partnering with existing providers can also provide access to continuous updates and improvements in machine translation technology, which can be challenging to maintain with an in-house solution.
3. Hybrid Approach: Some LSPs adopt a hybrid approach, combining in-house tools for specific domains or languages with partnerships with external machine translation providers for broader language coverage or specialized needs. This approach can offer flexibility and the best of both worlds.

Ultimately, the choice between developing an in-house machine translation tool and partnering with existing providers depends on factors such as the LSP’s technical capabilities, budget, domain expertise, client preferences, and the competitive landscape. The machine translation field is rapidly evolving, and LSPs need to assess the most effective strategy to offer accurate, efficient, and contextually appropriate translations to their clients while staying competitive in the market