human editing Archives

27. May 2025

AI translation + human editing: a smart combo for your business

If you need to translate content quickly without compromising on quality, machine or AI translation tools can do the trick. However, they’re not perfect and could harm you professionally. That’s why smart businesses are combining the speed of AI with the accuracy of human editing. It’s a fast, affordable way to make sure your message is clear, natural, and ready for real customers ─ no matter the language or industry.

How does AI translation with editing work?

Also known as machine translation with proofreading, this solution is a two-step process:

A translation draft is created using an AI tool.
A human language expert proofreads and improves this draft ─ fixing awkward wording, checking for accuracy, and making sure the tone fits your audience.

Why not just stick with AI?

AI translation tools are improving all the time, but they don’t know your customers like you do. While they can produce surprisingly fluent translations, they still struggle with cultural nuance, tone consistency, and domain-specific accuracy without human oversight. They’re great for speed, but not for nuance.

Here’s what AI alone might miss:

Local slang and idioms
Technical terms or industry-specific language (like in fintech or education)
Tone of voice (casual, friendly, expert, playful)
Clarity and flow (important for user guides and product descriptions)
Cultural sensitivity (especially in tourism or education)

The pros and cons of free AI translation tools

Tool	Pros	Cons
Google Translate	* Supports 130+ languages. * Translates text, websites, images, and voice.	* Tone and style adaptation is limited. * May lack accuracy for domain-specific content. * Doesn’t retain formatting in complex documents.
DeepL	* Best quality for many language pairs. * Intuitive interface. * Good at tone and style adaptation.	* Fewer languages than Google Translate. * Free version has limits. * Can misinterpret complex or technical content.
Microsoft Translator	* Integrates with Microsoft tools. * Offers real-time conversation translation. * Decent for common language pairs. * Customisable via Azure – supports domain-specific models.	* Less nuanced than DeepL for long texts. * Struggles with idiomatic or creative language.
ChatGPT	* Handles a multitude of languages, even low-resource ones. * Adapts to tone and style. * Can translate and restructure creatively.	* May hallucinate facts. * Lacks direct source text alignment. * Not purpose-built for translation.

These AI translation tools are useful for drafting, but for polished, professional results, you’ll still want a human expert to proofread and adapt the content.

The benefits of the human-AI combination

This smart combo offers the best of both worlds:

Faster turnaround: Great for time-sensitive content like seasonal offers or product launches.
Budget-friendly: More affordable than full human translation, especially for high-volume content.
Better quality: Your translations sound natural, accurate, and aligned with your goals.
Less stress: You don’t have to worry about embarrassing mistakes or awkward phrases.

It’s ideal for:

E-commerce product descriptions
Technical documentation (especially fintech and EdTech)
Tourism websites and brochures
Internal training materials and user guides
Newsletters, FAQs, and social media posts

Why choose Panalingua for your AI translation needs?

We work with real people ─ professional linguists who understand your industry and your audience. We use AI translation tools to get the ball rolling quickly, and our experts step in to fine-tune the message so it truly works for your content in every language.

If you’re a growing business looking to expand your reach without stretching your budget, AI translation with human editing is the way forward. Let’s get your message out there ─ clearly, quickly, and with a human touch. Contact Panalingua today.