Let’s be very clear; the AI doesn’t “understand” anything.
I got a lot of flak on a recent post where I used language that implied Generative AI can “think”.
It can’t.
It’s an incredible collection of interrelationships between existing data points. But the AI is simply extrapolating output within that range of data; it can’t go beyond that to create anything truly new.
Still, the AI can simulate human thinking amazingly well sometimes and it’s helpful to use anthropomorphic language when trying to understand the outcomes.
Here are three actionable tips to ensure your translations maintain that human touch:
1. Understand the AI’s limitations
In translation, the AI can’t even reliably align 20 source and target segments on its own. It makes basic math errors. We’ve been stuck on GPT 4 and 4.5 for over two years. The AI consolidates data and averages inputs, which means it excels in the middle ground but doesn’t approach the extremes. Recognize this to better guide its output.
2. Guide the AI with precision
Use specific prompts and inputs to steer the AI towards your desired outcome. The more precise your guidance, the more the AI can reflect your unique style and voice. In the GAIT workflow, we even put our own translations directly into the anchor prompt itself. Through an iterative process, we can push the AI to the limits of its capabilities.
3. Enhance with human insight
Translating with AI seems super easy. But if your goal is to produce excellence, then working with the AI is a highly skilled and proactive activity.
Once you get to the AI’s limits, you’ll have to take over.
As you can see, there is a delicate balance between the AI’s capabilities and the human touch in translation. Imagine AI as a vast library of knowledge, consolidating information and averaging inputs. It doesn’t inherently understand or feel anything, but it can be guided to produce remarkable results.
What do you think?