A new generation of translation tools threatens to revolutionize the way people understand different cultures.
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When I was a kid, I felt hypnotized when I looked at the bookshelf in my best friend's apartment. It seemed like there were countless Japanese books in there. Among them, most importantly for children's eyes, also included cartoons such as: Dragon Ball and Urusei Yatsura. I was staring at a world that was incredibly far away. I was eager to understand the story told in these pages, but it would be several years before the translation was published in the United States.
These early experiences inspired my study of Japanese in high school and college. But if I were his teenager now, I might want to skip the course altogether. AI-powered translation programs have become highly effective.In an article published by atlantic This week, journalist Louise Matsakis explores what these advanced tools could mean for foreign language education, which is already in decline in the United States and elsewhere. This story points to broader issues with AI. AI is certainly a useful technology, but convenience can sometimes mean sacrifice. “Learning different ways of speaking, reading and writing helps people discover new ways of seeing the world. Experts I spoke to likened it to discovering new ways of thinking,” Matsakis said. writing. “Machines will never be able to replace such profound human experience. But tech companies are building automatic translation into more and more products. You may realize that you have allowed yourself to be replaced by communication that is technically skilled but ultimately empty.”
I don't have any meaningful memories of using Japanese to understand manga, but I'll never forget the feeling of speaking the language with new friends when I finally traveled to Japan after years of studying. Maybe not. AI translation certainly has great uses. “These tools are great for getting a holistic view of what's going on, such as trying to understand the basic facts of news events in other countries,” Matsakis said when I asked about all this. he pointed out. — but it cannot replace deep human understanding. At least not yet.
— Damon BerrethSenior Editor
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The end of foreign language education
Written by Louise Matosakis
A few days ago, I watched a video of myself speaking in perfect Chinese. I've only been studying this language off and on for a few years, but I'm far from fluent. But there I was, pronouncing each letter perfectly with the exact tone of voice, just like a native speaker would. Gone are my grammatical errors and awkward pauses, replaced by a smooth, slightly foreign-sounding voice. “My favorite food is sushi,” I said—Wo zui shi fan de shi wu shi shou si–I can't feel the slightest bit of excitement or joy.
I created this video using software from a Los Angeles-based artificial intelligence startup called Hagen. It allows users to generate deepfake videos in which a real person “says” almost anything based on a script combined with a single photo of her face and a synthetic voice, translated into over 40 languages. can. By simply uploading a selfie taken with my iPhone, I was able to get a glimpse of a level of Chinese fluency that I would never get.
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P.S.
Matsakis' article reminded me of Jeremy Klemin's recent article exploring how AI works in the world of literary translation. Here, machine translation models struggle because “literary translation is essentially an act of approximation. Sometimes the best option is not the right option, but the least bad option.”
— Damon
