Localization
October 14, 2024

The New Frontiers of AI in Localization

Localization adapts content to specific cultures, going beyond translation to modify elements like currencies, date formats, and cultural references. AI integration in localization offers significant advantages, including faster processing and improved accuracy through machine learning. It can analyze large volumes of data, ensuring consistency across large-scale projects while reducing costs. However, AI still faces challenges in understanding complex linguistic subtleties, humor, and cultural nuances that often require human insight. The goal is to combine AI-driven translation and localization optimally, carefully selecting words to maximize performance and reinforce brand image while respecting cultural sensitivities.

The New Frontiers of AI in Localization

The Evolution of AI in Localization

From Translation to Localization

Translation and localization are two closely related but distinct concepts, particularly important in a globalized world. Translation involves converting text from one language to another while preserving the original meaning, but it does not always account for cultural nuances.

This is where localization comes into play. Localization goes beyond simple translation: it adapts content to a specific culture, market, or region. This can include modifications in measurement units, currencies, date formats, or adjusting tone, cultural references, and local sensitivities. The goal is to make a product or service as relevant and accessible as possible to a foreign audience, respecting linguistic and cultural specifics.

Key Technology

Localization is a key technology because it allows businesses to adapt to global markets while offering a personalized experience to each region. In an increasingly connected world, companies that want to succeed internationally must go beyond simple translation. Localization takes into account cultural, linguistic, legal differences, and even consumer preferences to make a product or service relevant and attractive. If you're interested in this topic, you can read our article on how localization helps business growth.

By optimizing communication and meeting local expectations, businesses enhance their competitiveness, expand their reach, and build trust with diverse audiences. Moreover, thanks to technological advancements, including artificial intelligence and content management systems, the localization process has become faster and more accurate.

The Advantages of AI

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into localization offers numerous advantages. First, it significantly speeds up the process by automating repetitive tasks, thus saving developers time this is something we emphasize at Gleef: more speed and simplicity. In addition to time-saving, AI also allows for greater accuracy through the use of machine learning algorithms that continuously learn from human corrections, improving the quality of translations and cultural adaptations over time.

Furthermore, AI is capable of quickly analyzing large volumes of data, allowing for the localization of content on a large scale for multiple markets simultaneously. It also ensures terminological and stylistic consistency, even in large-scale projects, while reducing the costs associated with manual localization. Finally, by detecting and respecting specific cultural nuances, AI enables finer adaptation of content, thereby improving the user experience in each region.

New Opportunities Offered by AI

Improved Precision

In the localization market, AI significantly improves accuracy through several ongoing technological advancements. Natural language processing (NLP) algorithms and machine learning models enable AI to better understand linguistic and cultural contexts, thus reducing translation errors.

Unlike traditional translation tools, AI systems can continuously learn from human corrections and adapt to linguistic preferences specific to a region or industry. Moreover, neural translation engines are capable of capturing linguistic subtleties, such as tone, intent, or idiomatic expressions, which are essential for accurate localization and are constantly improving, offering a truly personalized user experience through AI in localization.

Increased Productivity and Cost Reduction

AI has revolutionized the localization market by offering considerable productivity gains and cost reductions. AI allows for better management of human resources, as translators can focus on more complex tasks such as revision or adjustment, rather than basic translations. This workflow optimization translates into reduced operational costs, notably by limiting costly errors or re-translation efforts. By facilitating large-scale localization with increased quality, AI allows companies to maximize their return on investment while reaching international audiences more effectively.

This focus on productivity improvement is exactly where Gleef stands out, offering companies time savings and increased productivity, with a contextual approach that respects the brand image and tone of voice specific to each business.

By fully understanding the stakes of each page and the wording objectives, Gleef ensures that localized content faithfully reflects the essence of the message. Its clear and intuitive interface offers a dual view of the site’s design, thought not only for designers but also for performance. Words are carefully chosen to maximize efficiency, combining precision and optimization while remaining consistent with the brand identity.

Challenges of Advanced Automation in Localization

The Current Limits of AI

Despite its many advantages, AI still presents some limitations in the field of localization. One of the main challenges is its difficulty in understanding complex linguistic subtleties, particularly expressions and words that exist only in one language, humor, or specific cultural references, which often require human sensitivity.

Moreover, AI can sometimes lack accuracy when it comes to rare languages or local dialects that are not well-represented in databases. It also depends on the quality of training data, and if this data is insufficient, AI performance can suffer. Finally, AI cannot fully replace human intuition, especially for decisions related to tone and cultural sensitivity.

The current goal is to combine translation and localization in an optimal way to achieve highly efficient results. At Gleef, we implement this approach to optimize words. This combination aims to significantly reduce or even eliminate nuance limitations. Each word is carefully selected, not only to maximize performance but also to enrich the meaning of the site and reinforce the brand's image.

Gleef has officially launched its Design Partner Program. Ready to pioneer the future of localization? Join the revolution – apply now!

Jehan O

Jehan O

COO & CoFounder