Alex Leschinsky Of LSP Effectiff: AI Is Not A Threat But An Opportunity For Language Service Providers

Translation industry is among those majorly affected by the development of technology. With the emergence of neural machine translation (NMT) and more recent AI assistants like ChatGPT, the industry is going through another prominent shift. The question arises, not for the first time, but louder than ever before: will human translators and language service vendors become obsolete?

Alex Leschinsky, CEO of the successful language services company Effectiff, feels secure in his business's prospects. His experience and cases of fellow industry leaders show that the best way forward is the synthesis of human expertise and AI-based tools. 

Alex has been in the translation business for over 18 years and has seen several waves of technological advancements. Each transformed the field in profound ways, from computer-assisted translation tools to the latest AI-driven platforms. The query of when translators would be entirely replaced by machines has been a constant companion in his journey. 

"I regularly attend major industry conferences, and the discussions with colleagues about the impending evolution of our roles are as active as ever. It's impossible not to sense a degree of uncertainty and even anxiety over how AI and automation are reshaping the field. However, as the owner of a translation company that's embracing AI in different forms and shapes, from machine translation to speech synthesis to digital avatars, I believe that the moment of complete substitution is still very far away," Leschinsky explains.

At Effectiff, Alex's team of linguists and engineers are actively leveraging modern tech to optimize workflows and provide more cost-effective solutions to clients. In fact, the team's traditional workflows are now organically merging with machine translation post-editing (MTPE). In simple terms, language experts review and refine machine-generated translations to ensure the end result meets high standards of accuracy and cultural sensitivity. This creates human-in-the-loop systems where human feedback is constantly provided for additional training of machine translation engines.

The great thing about MTPE is that the more translators edit the output in machine translation engines, the better it gets, and the less editing they eventually need to perform. Translation Memories (TM) is another useful technology that helps unload linguists and reduce translation costs: previously translated segments are stored in a dedicated database and can be reused for repetitive sentences. This allows for consistent, efficient translations and gradually reduces the need for extensive manual editing over time. Thanks to the combination of translation software with built-in TM and smart post-editing, Effectiff has managed to boost productivity and drop delivery time while maintaining excellent quality standards.

All that's not to say that only written translation benefits from technology, while interpreters are left out of the AI game. Although a fully functional and efficient AI Interpreter is still only a promise due to the inherent complexity of live interpreting as opposed to static written text, AI is widely used to streamline communication with the help of different tools. These include, for example, speech-to-text (STT). STT technology converts spoken language into written text in real time and is central to many other technologies like automatic language detection and caption or subtitle generation. Both find its use in the interpretation scenarios: for instance, captions and subtitles can be used either in place of an interpreter when none is available for a particular language, or complement a live interpreter to help the audience follow along.

Other technologies such as video remote interpreting (VRI) also make interpreters' work more efficient. VRI is especially useful for sign language interpretation for the deaf and hard of hearing in settings where accessibility is a priority. It's also a game changer for spoken language interpreting in conferences or meetings, even when participants are located remotely – a widespread case in the post-COVID world.

Smaller tasks within large translation and localization projects are robustly handled by AI at Effectiff as well, says Alex. "We use machine algorithms and software to optimize lots of processes. One of our latest adopted tools is an anonymizer that automatically conceals private and sensitive data before translation. This way we can guarantee enhanced data protection to our clients."

Alex remarks that all these tools, while already shifting the translation industry, are still nowhere near to becoming a replacement for human experts. AI is simply unable to replicate creativity, deep cultural awareness, and other aspects of human interaction that are a must for truly nuanced and contextually accurate translations. Areas like game localization, app localization, and product localization, to name a few, are acutely aware of these shortcomings of AI. No algorithm can fully grasp and convey the emotional depth and connotations embedded in creative content.

It’s even more challenging in interpretation, with its inherent limitations. Some of these are technical, like background noise or possible loss of connection. Others are socio-cultural, including non-verbal information like body language and gestures or a multitude of accents. Confidentiality and privacy concerns are also at play here.

Besides, Alex foresees a temporary setback as AI safety concerns gain traction. From a potential for biases in algorithms to the risk of misinformation, AI can indeed be a double-edged sword. In translation, the consequences of an AI error can do a lot of harm. Think about misinterpretation of dosage instructions on medication labels, inaccuracies in contract translations that could lead to court fights, or even miscommunications in international negotiations that might escalate tensions. Human quality assurance is still the best protection against such risks. 

Current debates across industries and new legislation in the US and the EU have already led to restrictions on the unlimited and unregulated use of the technology. Alex finds this tendency not only natural but, in many ways, positive:

"I believe that tighter AI controls could be a wake-up call for our industry to double down on the human touch. After all, the natural languages we work with are called ‘natural' for a reason. It’s the nuanced understanding and creative interpretation that humans offer which truly brings languages to life. AI and other technologies can streamline our work but not do it for us," concludes Leschinsky. 

It becomes clear, then, why Alex feels so rightfully secure about the future of his company and the market as a whole. The intersection of AI and translation is evolving, and the coexistence of both seems to emerge as the new reality for forward-looking language service providers like Effectiff.  

Effectiff contact information

275 Commercial Blvd, Ste 301 Lauderdale by the Sea Florida 3330 

info@effectiff.net 

929-999-5719

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