Pronto Translations Exposes AI Flaws, Underscores Need for Professional Linguists

Pronto Translations, a leading translation service in New York, has been integrating generative AI technology such as ChatGPT into its workflows for the past 18 months to support its translation processes. 

Following the initial report issued last April, which detailed common AI errors, continuous enhancements in deploying AI have necessitated an update due to the emergence of further drawbacks that impact AI translation processes. Despite ongoing improvements to AI engines, experiences at Pronto Translations confirm that while AI technologies like ChatGPT can assist with translation efforts, they are not capable of replacing human translators. Effective translation requires a collaborative approach between AI tools and skilled linguists. Below are the 10 most critical reasons identified by Pronto Translations:

1. Mistranslation Risks: ChatGPT generally excels more than many other machine translation tools in identifying the correct contexts for meanings. However, significant errors have been observed, such as confusing “nuts” meant for vehicle assembly with edible nuts, or misidentifying a washer as a laundry appliance in a car maintenance manual. These errors underscore the risks involved in relying solely on AI for translation.
   
   
2. Fabrication of Information: ChatGPT can occasionally generate inaccurate content, especially when dealing with less familiar or obscure terms and concepts. While it handles well-known information from its training data competently, it struggles in areas where the data is scant or the terms are not widely recognized. In such instances, ChatGPT may make educated guesses, leading to translations that are not only imprecise but also potentially misleading. This is particularly problematic in technical or specialized texts where each term has specific and significant implications.
   
   
3. Difficulty with Proper Names: Proper nouns, including company names, individual names, and titles, pose a major challenge for AI translation tools. Errors in translating company names or executive names can be particularly severe, especially when dealing with languages that use different alphabets, such as Chinese versus English. Mistranslating a company’s name or an executive’s name on a press release that goes out on the wires with the error intact could lead to severe repercussions for a translation agency.
   
   
4. Failure to Identify Obvious Errors in Original Text: Occasionally, documents sent for translation include errors so evident that any human translator would likely spot and report them to the client. However, ChatGPT may fail to recognize these mistakes, leading to inaccurate translations. This oversight can perpetuate and even amplify the original errors, potentially compromising the integrity of the entire translated document.
   
   
5. Overuse of Modern Jargon: ChatGPT often defaults to using trendy terminology due to recent updates in its data. For instance, terms like “pivotal” and “foundational” are overused where synonyms such as “critical,” “necessary,” “key,” “fundamental,” or “essential” could provide variety. In translating technology-related texts, the frequent use of “innovative” becomes monotonous. Using alternatives like “recent,” “sophisticated,” “state-of-the-art,” “original,” or “novel” could enhance the translation.
   
   
6. Omission of Content in Long Documents: In lengthy texts, AI may omit significant information, particularly towards the end, which can compromise the overall accuracy of the message. This issue is particularly critical in the translation of lengthy legal documents, where essential terms or conditions at the end of the document may be overlooked, potentially altering its legal meaning.
   
   
7. Overly Literal Translations: Striving for the "perfect" translation can lead AI to produce word-for-word interpretations, which miss the subtleties and adaptability necessary for genuine communication. For example, the phrase "break a leg" could be inaccurately translated into another language as a literal command to injure oneself, rather than as an expression of good luck.
   
   
8. Challenges in Resolving Ambiguity in Source Texts: AI often encounters difficulties in translating texts that lack clarity or contain ambiguous phrasing, impacting the accuracy and quality of translations. For instance, when the original text refers to "the bank" without additional context, AI might struggle to discern whether it pertains to a riverbank or a financial institution, leading to potential inaccuracies.
   
   
9. Introduction of Extraneous Content: Although this issue has been somewhat mitigated of late, it remains a substantial risk. ChatGPT can sometimes "hallucinate," inaccurately generating sections that were not present in the original text. For instance, when tasked with translating an article about a Nigerian artist in Italy, the AI included several paragraphs detailing multiple Nigerian artists residing in Italy, which were not mentioned in the original document.
   
   
10. Misunderstanding of Contextual and Cultural Subtleties: AI can sometimes misread or ignore subtle contextual and cultural aspects of language, particularly in professional or semi-formal settings. An example is the use of "abrazos" in Spanish or "abraços" in Portuguese, commonly used to conclude informal business communications. While translating these as "hugs" might be technically correct, it does not reflect the intended tone or cultural significance—a friendly yet professional farewell. To an English-speaking audience, ending a professional note with "hugs" might seem odd.

The above is just a partial list. To read the full report, visit: Why Chat GPT Isn’t Enough: 17 Crucial Points for Translation Tasks

These challenges are not unique to ChatGPT but are common issues found with all recently AI-enhanced machine translators, including those from Google, DeepL, and Microsoft, as well as ChatGPT’s rivals like Google’s Gemini and Baidu’s ERNIE. When you or your organization have important documents to translate, involving professional translators is essential to eliminate risk and maintain your reputation.

About Pronto Translations

In business for 25 years, Pronto Translations is a tightly run international organization, with offices in New York, Nîmes (France), Nanjing (China), Seoul, and Osaka, providing high-quality interpretation, translation and localization services.

Pronto’s team includes more than 1,000 translators covering 122 languages, each selected for their specific industry expertise. The translators, many of whom hold degrees from leading universities or certifications from professional associations, work through a secure portal to ensure quality and confidentiality. The operation’s 24/7 availability allows for quick turnaround on urgent projects, even during weekends and holidays.

With more than two decades of experience in transforming corporate messaging into the world’s most spoken and lesser spoken languages, Pronto Translations is the go-to service and solution for the marketing and public relations needs of any firm wishing to communicate with the world’s audiences in their own languages.

To learn more, visit https://prontotranslations.com.