AI or human?

Is it still worth using a human translator, or is AI now just as good?

It depends. I still see high-profile translations with mistakes that I can tell were made by a human translator, and where AI would have done a better job. If your choice is between AI and an inexperienced translator, I’d choose AI.

However, I have the advantage of having learnt the complexities and nuances of writing and translating long before AI came along. And as a bonus, I can now draw on AI to offer me even more options and help me conduct even more careful research.

When I started translating, all I had to help me were dictionaries and a thesaurus. I now use multiple AI and translation tools for every task, along with a wide variety of research sources – and I constantly keep my finger on the pulse as the algorithms evolve. The result is that I can delve deeper and hone more finely. For high-stakes translations, the quality is higher than ever, while the cost is the same or lower.

Above all, what AI won’t do is question, fact-check, wonder, imagine, comment, correct, do detective work, or go the extra mile for the most creative, appropriate and poetic solution.

Should you translate your text with AI first and then send it to me for editing?

It depends. If you’re just planning to paste your text into an AI tool and copy the translation, it’s better to leave it to me. It won’t really save time or money, and I’ll do a better job if I can see the original. If the text was written with care by a professional, I can reflect its style and meaning more accurately if it hasn’t already been through ChatGPT. And if the writing is by a non-professional, I can lift the quality while staying true to the intention. I can make improvements – without hallucinating.

That said, if you’re a confident writer in English, AI translation followed by human editing could be a good option. You can revise the AI output yourself before passing it on to me for a final check and polish.

Contact me to discuss options.

“If you want a translation that truly reflects your tone, intent, and nuance, Michael Blass is the better choice. Unlike ChatGPT, he brings years of experience, cultural insight, and a creative eye – along with the ability to question, research, and refine. The result? Language that feels natural, accurate, and alive.”
– ChatGPT