AI translations are good enough, just press translate – but are they?
“AI translations are good enough, just press translate”
It sounds efficient. But is it enough?
AI has transformed how we handle multilingual content. The speed is impressive and the accessibility is powerful. What once took weeks can now take minutes. But treating translation as a “click and forget” task is risky.
Accurate translation isn’t just about correct grammar or spelling. It’s about meaning, tone and cultural connection.
AI translation doesn’t solve localisation
It is a common mistake to use 'translation' and 'localisation' interchangeably, but they serve very different purposes:
- Translation is the direct, word-for-word replication of a piece of text.
- Localisation is making that translation fit contextually while maintaining the integrity of mnemonics, acronyms, and cultural relevance.
Localisation requires more than translation. What feels appropriate in one country may feel tone-deaf in another. What is legally compliant in one region may be entirely different or even non-compliant elsewhere. Tone varies wildly across borders. Some cultures prefer a more laid-back, informal approach to learning, while in others, formality is everything.
AI might translate the words, but only a native speaker can ensure the message is conveyed with the appropriate respect and impact.
AI often misses the mark in a professional context
AI struggles to convey brand voice and often fails to grasp the nuance required for sensitive workplace topics.
Translation engines can occasionally lose the thread of technical context with devastating results.
In one instance, a translation engine replaced the term for a Brachial vein with the Basilic vein. In a medical training context, an uncorrected error like that could lead to life-threatening mistakes in physician training.
A phrase that works perfectly in English can fall flat (or worse, offend!) in another language. Idioms don’t always travel. Humour rarely translates cleanly. Brand voice can easily become diluted.
At GuyKat, a human review sits at the heart of the process
At GuyKat we are always looking to improve and make use of new technologies.
As such have moved from the old, manual and slow way of working to the much quicker AI supported method:
- We spend time ensuring that spelling, grammar and tone are correct in the original content to set translation up for success. Post-editing (PEMT) is still essential for every piece of content, so we ensure a human editor reviews each localisation to give you the best of both worlds, retaining the tone of voice and consistent terminology throughout. Because translation quality doesn’t start at the end, it starts at the source.
- We build robust translation memory and termbases. AI can then tap into previously approved content, ensuring terminology remains consistent across modules, updates and markets.
- We always quality assure the localised content. Because learners in Germany, France or the US shouldn’t have a different experience simply because of language. The standard should be identical.
AI might help us move faster but human expertise ensures we never compromise on quality.
Want to talk to a real human about it?
That’s where GuyKat comes in.
Talk to Carris today: Contact Us - She’s real and often found either shooting arrows at her archery club or curled up with her two cats, knitting, the ice hockey or a good book and she’s ready to listen.
✨ Learn more about how we take a smarter approach to translation and localisation
Find out more about our tailored learning solutions
Faster, Smarter Translations: The AI and Human Formula
Ever wondered about the secret to faster, smarter translations?
If you’ve ever dined out abroad, you’ve probably found yourself relying on AI to quickly check menu items and order your dinner. It’s fast, convenient… and sometimes, a little risky. Because, with dodgy auto-translate, speed isn’t everything especially, if you hate prawns.
That’s exactly why, at GuyKat, we take a smarter approach to translation and localisation.
How we use AI and native speakers to localise learning faster
When it comes to translating training content, guesswork shouldn’t be part of the experience. Our approach blends AI for speed, native speakers for quality and an expert at GuyKat to put it all together for you.
At GuyKat, we’ve seen firsthand how AI can supercharge the localisation process, cutting weeks of turnaround time and unlocking scalable global rollouts. This got us talking about how to keep localisation fast without compromising on quality.
The GuyKat Localisation Process
We know translation isn’t just about swapping words from one language to another. It’s about meaning, tone, and context, especially when you’re training global teams. That’s why we’ve built a process that gets the best of both worlds.
Here’s how it works:
- Translate with AI: We use industry-leading tools to generate rapid first-pass translations. This means we can localise entire eLearning modules in minutes, not days. It’s scalable, efficient, and consistent.
- Check with Native Speakers: Then comes the important part, the human review. We work with skilled linguists who are not only fluent in your chosen language but, where required, also specialise in your subject matter, ensuring accurate, context-aware translations that resonate with your audience. So crucially, they could check whether your dinner suggestion accidentally includes prawns.
- Perfect Delivery: Once approved, unlike many translation providers, we implement the translations ourselves. That means we maintain the design integrity, interactivity, and functionality of your learning content so every learner, in every language, gets the same high-quality experience.
It’s a process that’s shaved weeks off our delivery timelines and made rolling out content to multiple markets smoother than ever.
The result? Faster, smarter translations.
Translated content in days, not months, and learners are getting content that feels native to them with no awkward phrasing or misunderstanding.
We handle the entire process end-to-end, no matter the type of training or language. The learning experience is fully replicated and accessible to each learner. Plus, no surprise prawns.
Want to learn more?
Want to see what’s possible when you work with us?
🌍 Get in touch to start translating today!
🍜 Join the conversation and see our LinkedIn post about this topic.
🎨 Find out more about our tailored learning solutions
💙 It doesn’t stop there… We’re proud to partner with some seriously smart tools including Colossyan that produces AI-generated training videos with avatars who can speak in multiple languages, voices, and tones. And FLOWSPARKS which creates modular content with one-click translations built in.