If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
The old adage is worth keeping in mind if you’re thinking of handing your localization projects over to AI.
When you’re under pressure to scale up your global content, with tightening budgets and turnarounds, AI translation tools can seem like the perfect solution. Language features are built into many of the tools you already use, for example for creating video. Promising instant translation into any language at a click, they’re very appealing when you need a quick fix.
But, as our clients have found, using AI without proper governance can end up costing you more in the long run.
That’s because AI translation is not a shortcut—it’s a strategy. We help you implement that strategy in a managed, joined-up way across your organization, so you can give your customers the consistent, high-quality translations they expect, while staying on brand and on budget.
What’s the problem with unmanaged AI translation?
AI translation tools and features can be very effective: if you simply want to translate a generic message quickly, it’s likely they’ll deliver the goods. But if you expect an AI translator to match all your standards right out of the box, you’ll probably be disappointed.
This is because the tool doesn’t know your brand. It doesn’t recognize your product names, or how you use words in a particular context. It may not accurately replicate your tone of voice. This leads to translation errors and inconsistencies that risk confusing your clients, hurting customer experience, and denting trust in your brand.
The problems are magnified if you have multiple teams using different tools without being aligned. AI-created content may not reflect your brand, and translation results will vary from one tool to another. Plus, without a company-approved tool, you could be putting data at risk or overspending on licenses.
How can I use AI to scale localization, without losing quality?
If you’re concerned about the quality of your AI translations, you could have them all reviewed by a native speaker who knows your products, brand, and style guidelines. But, as our clients have found, this level of manual post-editing can wipe out the cost and time savings of using AI in the first place—particularly when reviewers have to work in an unfamiliar tool that’s not fit for purpose.
A better solution is to develop a company-wide strategy, with appropriate governance, to manage the use of AI throughout your localization process. We can help you streamline your whole workflow, embedding AI where it’s the right solution and bringing in human expertise where it’s needed for best results.
What does an AI translation strategy look like?
More and more businesses are adopting centralized AI strategies to improve efficiency and consistency. Research from Gartner found that among “high-maturity” organizations (where AI usage is already well established), 91% have appointed dedicated AI leaders, and nearly 60% have centralized their AI strategy, governance, data, and infrastructure capabilities.
It makes sense to apply the same structured approach to localization. By aligning your AI localization strategy to business goals, you can maximize value from your global content while minimizing risk.
As your trusted localization partner, we can bring your stakeholders together and get buy-in for a company-wide approach to developing and localizing content. By improving consistency right from the drafting stage, and centralizing translation glossaries and global content rules, you’ll achieve higher quality with less post-editing, rework, and duplicated effort. We can also help you select the best tool for your needs, educate teams to use it effectively, and refine it to improve quality over time.
Rubric’s Assured AI workflow delivers the best of both worlds, strategically combining the speed and convenience of AI tools with human oversight to help you scale without the risk.
Assured AI in practice
With Assured AI, we’ve helped our clients improve translation quality and consistency, streamline workflows, and align teams, saving them time, effort, and money as they scale up their global content.
For example, when our client needed a large volume of text translated quickly, we prioritized the most mission-critical elements for human translation. These quality translations, along with curated glossaries, were then used to train the AI model so it could be used to effectively translate lower-risk, high-throughput content. This significantly reduced the checking and editing effort and accelerated time to market.
Another client wasn’t getting the results they needed from their video tool, as the generic translations didn’t align with their brand. Videos required heavy manual post-editing, which was challenging within the platform. We worked with them to export the content, translate it automatically using on-brand glossaries and translation memories, and then re-import the high-quality localized videos. With far less rework than the generic AI model, this was a smoother process that ultimately cost the client less.
AI translation tools and features can be a big time and cost saver. But before you dive in, ask yourself whether generic translations will be good enough for your audience. If not, talk to Rubric about Assured AI. Our strategic approach and robust governance make sure your AI tools deliver the results you need—with no unwelcome charges or delays.