8 things human writers and translators do better than AI
Are translators and writers still better than AI? Yes, they are. Recently, I’ve been working on a few interesting marketing translation and writing projects, which have been a lot of fun. More than that, they’ve reassured me that the time of human translators and writers isn’t over. Sure, ChatGPT and DeepL have their uses, but they won’t be able to replace humans for quite a while.
Why?
I’ve added some real-life examples below. (You may already have seen some of my thoughts about these on social media and in my latest newsletter, but I think they deserve their own blog post.)
1. Having a chat and advising on your project
Nothing replaces an in-depth introductory chat and copy brief before starting a project.
- What are your aims?
- Who is your target audience?
- Who are your competitors?
- What’s your USP?
- Do you have preferences in terms of gendering?
These are just some of the questions I’ll ask you before even starting on a writing or translation project.
Great communication skills are essential: before, during, and also at the end of the project.
For example, I usually have an initial video call to discuss the scope and details of a project. After that, Slack, email, and/or comments in Google Docs may work well to keep in touch and resolve any queries.
Recently, I particularly enjoyed working on Slack with both an SEO manager and project manager. It was much less overwhelming than writing emails, and all our chats were kept in relevant subject “threads”, so they were easy to refer back to. Thanks to this, we had fruitful online discussions and could move the project forward efficiently. I was able to advise on various topics and subprojects this way.
2. Flagging up potential greenwashing issues in your copy
I’ve written before about the CMA’s UK Green Claims Code, which was introduced to penalise companies for greenwashing. Germany has similar legislation in place.
Companies stating they are e.g. “eco-friendly” or “sustainable” have to give a lot of evidence to back up their claims. If they misuse certain terms, or if their packaging suggests an environmentally-friendly product when in fact it’s quite the opposite, they could be in for high fines. In Germany, they may even face a forced product recall.
Writers and translators working on your copy may well be able to flag up potential issues with your current wordings. ChatGPT and DeepL would struggle here.
3. Carefully reading and fact-checking your text
Checking your copy doesn’t have to be related to greenwashing. You may simply have included certain statistics or quotes in your copy, which your writer or translator could check or reference for you. Perhaps they’ll find different statistics you could use, or they may advise not to include them at all if they’re not sure about their quality.
I don’t use or edit text written by ChatGPT, for example. This is because it plagiarises other people’s content without properly citing it, and because it famously makes up facts. One example I came across in a ChatGPT-generated text was a made-up mountain in Kenya, which didn’t exist anywhere on Google or elsewhere. Not great, as the copy was aimed at tourists looking for walking tours in this area!
4. Reviewing and revising your current style guide
Perhaps you’ve been using a content style guide that’s a little outdated and needs some TLC? Rather than blindly following what’s in a guide, human translators and writers may suggest edits that’ll help your brand stay up-to-date and culturally sensitive.
Could AI tools do that? I don’t think so.
5. Advising on formal/informal address and gendering
Addressing your target audience correctly is crucial. You’re focusing on business leaders? Then a flippant, too informal tone won’t be right.
In German, you have a few ways of addressing your readers. Should you use the informal (“Du”) or formal way (“Sie”)? What about gendering — would it be best to both use the masculine and feminine form of a noun in a sentence? Or should you use the latest gendered terms, even if they’re not grammatically correct (e.g. “Kund*in”)?
Translators and writers who are native speakers and have good cultural knowledge can help with this.
6. Researching and implementing the right SEO keywords
Sure, you can use AI tools to get a list of SEO keywords. But: sifting through them, checking them for search intent, search volume and competition, and finally recommending the right ones for your brand is still something humans are best at.
Implementing your chosen SEO keywords is painstaking work, too. After all, your optimised copy is supposed to read well. Again, only humans can do this properly.
7. Localising your copy in a culturally sensitive way
German isn’t just German. There are many dialects in Germany and other German-speaking countries, which often use different terms. That’s why I specialise in Germany as a target market, not Austria or Switzerland. (Similarly, I specialise in British English, not American, Australian, or Canadian English.)
I grew up in Germany and moved to the UK to study and work many years ago. However, I’m still keeping in touch with German news and culture (through online news, TV, books, podcasts, and my friends, of course). I know what’s going on in the UK and Germany, and I know how people really talk there!
AI won’t be aware of which terms not to use in certain contexts. Humans do.
This also goes for certain images that may not make sense to your British or German target audience. Some gestures could even cause offence! Your writer and translator should be an expert in your target market: they’ll be able to advise on these sensitivities.
8. Knowing when (not) to use humour
Writers and translators know instinctively when to use a pun or subtle humour, and when it’s simply not appropriate. There may be cultural differences and sensitivities around certain terms or jokes, too, which AI tools simply wouldn’t know about.
Getting humour right is hugely important. A literal translation of a pun will only confuse your target audience; a poor joke can ruin an otherwise well-translated or written marketing text.
Summary: excellent copy needs a human touch
Please think twice before using translation software or AI tools for marketing copy or any text that needs a human expert (e.g. medical, legal or technical translations). It’s not worth the risk to your reputation, your brand, and — in some cases — to your audience.
