As AI translation becomes more accurate every year, you may hear voices saying, "Translators are no longer necessary." Tools like Google Translate and DeepL are certainly useful for daily communication and for understanding simple reference materials.
In reality, however, translation work does not disappear entirely. Rather, alongside the evolution of AI translation, the role of human translators is being divided into areas that remain and areas that are replaced.
In this article, we explain why translation work will not disappear, looking at both technical and institutional aspects.
Which Areas Are Being Replaced by AI Translation?
AI translation is well suited to translations at the "as long as the meaning is conveyed" level.
For example, to roughly understand a foreign-language news article or to read internal reference materials, AI translation is more than sufficient. Demand for human translation in these uses has already declined significantly.
Why Translation Still Will Not Disappear
1. Technical Reasons
Accuracy does not reach 100%
AI translation may be 99% correct, but there is still a 1% chance of mistranslation. If that 1% appears in an important document such as a contract or a certificate, it can lead to serious risk. A final check or correction by a human translator is still required.
Layout adjustments cannot be done automatically
AI translation is good at translating text, but with current technology it cannot easily reproduce the layout of the original. Reflecting things like Excel cell widths, ruled lines, or complex tables in the translated document still requires manual adjustment.
2. Institutional Reasons
In the world of translation, there are many situations where "a human translation is institutionally required."
For example:
When third-party translation is mandatory
When the receiving organization states that "translation by the applicant is not accepted," you must request a translation company—no matter how fluent in English the applicant may be.
When a translation certificate is required
For certificates and contracts, a "translation certificate" may be required as an attachment, and this can only be issued by a translation company.
When notarization or apostille is required
Some procedures require notarization at a notary office or certification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in addition to translation. AI translation cannot handle these procedures.
Conclusion: Translation Work Splits into "Areas That Disappear" and "Areas That Remain"
Translation includes demand at the "rough understanding is fine even with some mistranslation" level, but it also includes translation that requires accuracy and institutional compliance. Demand for the former is shrinking, while the latter is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
Particularly for certificates and contracts, translation is often tied to the receiving organization's institutional requirements—such as issuing certificates, notarization, and apostille—so a human translator or translation company is needed in many cases. For these reasons, it is hard to imagine this area of translation disappearing anytime soon.
In other words, translation work will not disappear uniformly; it is dividing into "areas that disappear" and "areas that remain." Translation that requires accuracy and institutional backing is likely to continue playing a meaningful role going forward.
If you need human translation, please feel free to contact us.
