Brilliant humans, powered by technology

Many of the advances in translation technology have been made possible through AI.

For example, things like synthetic voiceovers, where a lifelike audio is produced using artificial intelligence, is just one of the ways that technology has helped make video localisation more possible.

Then there’s real-time translation, where AI translation software uses automation to perform language processing, translating words from one language to another at lightning speed. This has meant that it’s now possible to produce multilingual subtitles for live TV, translate audio into different languages for virtual or in-person meetings, and perform various on-the-spot interpreting services, to give just a few examples.

As we’ve seen, the impact of AI on translation has been huge, and many of the most impressive translation tools being developed currently use AI technology.

Large language models (or LLMs), such as Google translate, use AI to power algorithms and process huge data sets. These LLMs are used to perform automated translation tasks, and are some of the most widely used machine translation software options.

But the technology we’re most excited about is Clara, our proprietary content generation tool that uses AI to produce native-sounding content directly from a prompt in English.

This is a new concept, as you’re skipping the translation step altogether, because you’re using prompts to generate original, native sounding text from scratch. We believe that services like Clara are the future of automated translation.

Learn more about Clara.

The main benefit of using translation technology is that it speeds up the localisation process, reducing the number of human steps involved. More translation for multilingual communication can be carried out faster, more efficiently and often more affordably.

That means your localisation budget goes further, meaning you can expand quicker than you thought, or offer more personalised products and services than you otherwise would.

In turn, more localisation also means fairer access to those products and services. Just as an example, language barriers in digital content, customer service and regulatory understanding are removed, meaning a more inclusive experience for everyone. More people around the world get to access more things than they usually would, and that has to be a good thing.

Another benefit of using translation technology is that it can help lead to translation accuracy improvements. Rather than having a go yourself, or relying on a native speaker (who isn’t professionally trained as a translator) to check a document for you, you can use machine translation and get the benefit of literally millions of data points.

While the translation technology available today is more advanced than ever, we believe that the real power comes in combining human expertise with the smartest tools.

That’s why we always use a human-in-the-loop, even at the most basic service level. You’ve invested heavily in your brand and your reputation, and we’ve built our own reputation on delivering the highest quality translations.

Take Clara, for example. The proprietary technology that we’ve developed is optimised when trained prompt-writers execute the scripts, leaning into the combined expertise of specialist linguists, engineers and communication experts.

When you partner with us, you’re getting the benefit of the latest, first-to-market technology plus a deep human expertise in language and human-to-human communications.

Machine translation relies on AI-based algorithms and statistical models to translate text. It’s often used for large-scale projects, or projects where sensitivity isn’t paramount. This is because some of the challenges in machine translation include handling complex grammar structures, maintaining the original tone, and accurately translating specialised terminology.

In contrast, human translation is carried out by a professional linguist who leverages the translator’s deep understanding of language subtleties, cultural context, and the ability to interpret ambiguous phrases accurately. A professional translator is typically fluent in at least two languages, giving them a deep and natural understanding of grammar, idiomatic expressions, and cultural nuances.

In addition to language proficiency, translators often need specialised knowledge in specific fields such as legal, medical, technical, or literary translation to accurately convey specialised terminology and concepts.

Here at Comtec, we work with over 4,000 linguists of the highest calibre, each hand-picked for their linguistic abilities, specific specialisms and experience.

The latest machine translation tools have achieved significant accuracy, especially with advances in neural networks and AI, making it increasingly reliable for many applications.

Translation technology in business leverages these improvements to handle routine translations, enabling faster and more cost-effective communication across languages.

However, while machine translation performs well with straightforward texts, it still faces challenges with nuanced, context-specific, or highly specialised content, where human translators remain essential for ensuring precision and cultural appropriateness.

That’s why we always use a human-in-the-loop, seamlessly blending the speed and efficiency of AI-powered translation with the nuanced understanding of professional linguists.

Whether you’re expanding into new markets, training new team members or enhancing customer support, our human-in-the-loop approach guarantees your message is always clear, contextually appropriate, and impactful.

Translation technology ensures data privacy by implementing secure translation tools that use encryption to protect data both in transit and at rest, ensuring that sensitive information remains confidential. These tools often comply with stringent data protection regulations, such as GDPR or HIPAA, providing an additional layer of security.

Moreover, translation APIs and integration systems are designed with robust authentication mechanisms and access controls, ensuring that only authorised users can access and manage the translated data, further safeguarding privacy.