Machine Translation (MT)
Automated translation using AI/ML systems like Google Translate or DeepL.
Definition
Machine Translation (MT) uses artificial intelligence to automatically translate text between languages. Modern MT systems use Neural Machine Translation (NMT) for more natural results. While MT quality has improved dramatically, it still requires human review (post-editing) for production use. MT is valuable for: first-pass translations, understanding foreign content, and scaling translation programs with MTPE workflows.
Examples
- →Google Translate - widely used, 100+ languages
- →DeepL - known for high quality European languages
- →Amazon Translate - AWS-integrated for developers
- →Azure Translator - Microsoft's MT service
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use MT for production translations?
MT alone is risky for production. Best practice: use MT + human review (MTPE - Machine Translation Post-Editing). MT provides fast first draft, humans fix errors and ensure quality. Some use cases (internal docs, user-generated content) may accept raw MT with disclaimers.
Which MT service has the best quality?
It depends on language pairs. DeepL excels at European languages. Google has the widest coverage. For specific domains, custom-trained models often outperform generic services. Test multiple providers with your actual content.