Machine translation is the process of automatically translating text or speech from one language to another. It has been around for decades, but recent advances in AI have led to a dramatic improvement in the quality of MT systems. This has made MT a viable option for a wide range of applications.

How Machine Translation is Transforming Governments

In many countries, there is a large multilingual population. This can pose a challenge for governments, as they need to provide services to all citizens, regardless of their language skills. LLMs can help governments to overcome this challenge by providing translations of government documents, websites, and other materials into multiple languages. This can help to ensure that all citizens have access to the information and services they need.

For example, the European Union (EU) has a machine translation system called eTranslation. eTranslation is used by government agencies across the EU to translate documents into 24 different languages. This has helped to improve communication between EU citizens and government officials, and it has also made it easier for citizens to access EU services. Similarly, an Indian App called Jugalbandi is making advances to translate various citizen-centric services of the Indian government into different languages. India is known as the most pluralistic society as there are more than 120 languages being spoken across the country.

How Machine Translation Can Transform the Travel Sector

The travel sector is another area where AI has the potential to make a significant impact. When people travel to a foreign country, they often encounter language barriers. This can make it difficult to communicate with locals, and it can also make it difficult to understand information about the country, such as directions, menus, and signs. AI can help to overcome these challenges by providing translations of these materials into the traveller’s native language.

For example, the Google Translate app can be used to translate text and speech in over 100 different languages. This can be helpful for travellers who are trying to communicate with locals, or who are trying to understand information about their destination.

How Machine Translation Can Ease the Process of Interaction Between Various Cultures

Machine translation can also help to ease the process of interaction between people from different cultures. When people from different cultures communicate with each other, they often encounter misunderstandings due to cultural differences. AI can help to bridge these cultural gaps by providing translations that are culturally appropriate.

For example, the Google Translate app has a feature called “Culturally Sensitive Translations”. This feature provides translations that are tailored to the specific culture of the target audience. This can help to ensure that the translation is accurate and respectful of the target culture.

Advantages of Machine Translation

Speed: Machine translation can translate text or speech much faster than a human translator. This can be helpful in situations where speed is important, such as when providing customer support or translating news articles.

Cost-effectiveness: Machine translation is often much more cost-effective than hiring a human translator. This can be especially helpful for businesses that need to translate large amounts of text or speech on a regular basis.

Accessibility: Machine translation can make information and services more accessible to people who do not speak the language in which the information or services are provided. This can help to promote inclusion and equality.

State of the Art in Machine Translation (MT)

The state of the art in machine translation is constantly evolving. Recent advances in AI have led to significant improvements in the quality of MT systems. However, there are still some challenges that need to be addressed, such as:

Accuracy: MT systems can still make mistakes, especially when translating complex or technical texts.

Cultural appropriateness: MT systems can sometimes produce translations that are not culturally appropriate.

Human readability: MT systems can sometimes produce translations that are difficult for humans to read and understand.

Despite these challenges, MT is a powerful tool that has the potential to make a significant impact on a wide range of industries and applications. As MT systems continue to improve, they will become more and more widely adopted.

Machine translation is a rapidly evolving field with the potential to revolutionize the way we communicate with each other. By overcoming the challenges that still exist, MT can become a powerful tool for bridging language barriers, promoting inclusion, and making information and services more accessible to everyone.

This article first appeared in the TOI