Advancements in audio translation technology are revolutionising the localization industry and helping companies engage faster with their audience. Machine learning and AI innovations have introduced a range of possibilities we could only have imagined decades ago. Years ago, it was unthinkable to have a speech-to-speech translator; however, they’re now slowly becoming part of our lives.
This article explores how audio translation is transforming the landscape of language services. We will focus on technology’s breakthroughs, applications across various industries, and the benefits and challenges that come with these innovations.
The Evolution of Audio Translation
Audio translation draws from different technologies, such as speech recognition and machine translation (MT). Speech recognition has evolved from Bell Lab’s “Audrey” (1952) which could understand numbers from 0 to 9, to AI-powered speech recognition technologies like Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri (2010s).
Early speech recognition systems could only understand a limited set of words/sentences. For instance, “Harpy” –a system developed by Carnegie Mellon (1970s)– was trained with a database of 1000 words and could already recognise sentences.
Speech recognition and speech-to-text technologies improved considerably during the next 30 years. However, AI-driven speech technologies have brought audio translation to new levels. Today’s speech technologies can recognise a myriad of languages and accents, as well as transcribe audio in real-time. This is all thanks to the increased capacity of systems, cloud-based processing and vast repositories of speech data.
The introduction of neural machine translation (NMT), on the other hand (for more about NMT see our other articles), has enhanced the accuracy and speed of translations. MT allows real-time communication between speakers of different languages. This shift has been particularly beneficial for industries that rely on quick turnaround times, such as gaming and entertainment.
Source: Pollion.net
Audio Translation Technologies on the Rise
Voice Recognition
Voice recognition technology plays a crucial role in audio translation by converting spoken words into text before translating them into another language. It is very common now to see it integrated into social media, videoconference software and mobile apps. Again, think about the role Alexa or Siri play in our daily lives.
This process involves advanced algorithms that can accurately identify words and phrases in various accents and dialects. As voice recognition continues to improve, so does the effectiveness of audio translation tools.
Real-Time Translation
Real-time audio translation technologies enable users to communicate seamlessly across languages without significant delays. As social media consumption, online education, remote work, and international cooperation keep growing, real-time translation becomes increasingly important.
Although in past years we had seen the breakthrough of speech translation tools (such as portable voice translators, and even watches and glasses!), 2023 seemed to have been the year for native-like audio translation. Google, Microsoft, and Meta have made strides in this area, offering tools that recognise accents, variants, and contextual information, and reproduce speech patterns and tone.
AI Dubbing
One of the most significant breakthroughs in audio translation is AI dubbing. Today’s tools can not only recognise accents, tone and overall feeling of the speaker, but they can reproduce them in audio translations. Tools like ElevenLabs‘ AI Dubbing allow users to dub videos automatically matching the speaker’s tone and voice.
Similar to the way machine translation employs deep learning models to understand complex language and produce accurate translations that sound natural, this tool also employs these models to generate speech replicating the speaker’s speech patterns. As a result, the videos dubbed using this technology sound native and natural-like. This technology promises to make its way into markets with low reach by AI such as marketing, video gaming and films.
Source: Speech Technology Magazine
Applications Across Industries
The applications of audio translation vary and are set to continue impacting these markets:
Entertainment
From social media to video games and films, AI subtitling and audio translation are making their way into the localization process of these markets. We now have automatic captions on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, but we’re approaching the day when movies and video games will most likely be AI-subbed and dubbed. UFO Sweden (2022), for instance, is the first AI-dubbed film soon to be released for English-speaking audiences.
As usual with AI, there are concerns regarding the future of voice actors and translators in this landscape. However, the pioneers in this field insist that the human factor will always be irreplaceable. It remains to be seen exactly how.
Education
This is one of the biggest beneficiaries so far of audio translation tools. Online educational platforms and video conference software have greatly benefitted from speech and audio translation technologies. Not only in terms of multilingual engagement but also inclusivity. All thanks to:
- Speech-to-text technologies that allow to have notes in conferences or video lessons.
- Auto-generated close captions that allow learners with hearing problems to have access to materials they couldn’t access before.
- Audio/text automatic translation that bridges the language gap between learners and lecturers. Perfect for online courses and language learners.
Business
Same as in education, speech-to-text technologies and audio translation software have bridged the language gap for international cooperation. Although still not perfect, advancements in terms of AI audio translation promise to revolutionise the video conference market to foster international trade and partnerships (see for instance Microsoft’s announcement of real-time voice cloning for Teams).
As an additional market, we see how little by little, AI dubbing is making an entrance in fields such as marketing and films, as seen above.
Healthcare
Healthcare is a sector that relies heavily on human interpreters, although it’s severely understaffed. Especially in multicultural/multilingual communities, audio translation ensures effective communication between providers and patients who speak different languages.
Interpreting services are crucial for delivering quality care and understanding patient needs. AI-driven tools can help healthcare professionals communicate vital information accurately without delay. So far, the focus has been on developing video and phone interpreting technologies that allow interpreters to communicate with patients in remote scenarios. However, AI audio translation technologies might be included more in multicultural healthcare settings –see, for instance, a study of voice-to-voice MT in a clinical setting.
Challenges and Considerations
Despite its many benefits and upcoming developments, audio translation technology also presents challenges:
Accuracy and Bias
While AI has made significant progress in understanding context and cultural nuances, there are still instances where translations may miss subtle meanings or idiomatic expressions. Current models are better at understanding context and even tone and regional variants so it’s very likely we will see improvements in this regard in the future.
As with all AI technology, bias comes with the territory. This is due to the use of big amounts of data to train systems. Data comes with biases and stereotypes that are fed into systems. Although this is currently being tackled, it is still something to be wary of when using any AI system and report developers if so.
Privacy and Transparency
The use of cloud-based services for audio translation raises questions about data security and privacy. Businesses must ensure that sensitive information is protected when utilizing these technologies.
Transparency is also key to ethical AI. Users must be aware of how technology works, what kind of information it collects and how it’s being used. This guarantees that users properly understand technologies and how to use them, as well as to identify any potential harm.
The Human Factor
As reliance on AI-driven solutions grows, there is a risk that human translators may be undervalued or replaced entirely. Human translators and interpreters are not to disappear, but their role is changing in the AI landscape, and stakeholders must carefully address these concerns.
The discussion turns around now about human-in-the-loop approaches to machine learning, crowdsourcing platforms and post-editing. However, it’s up to stakeholders to guarantee language professionals’ rights and status. Finding a balance between technology and human expertise will be essential moving forward.
Audio translation technology is transforming the language industry by bridging communication gaps across different cultures. As it progresses, audio translation is set to become a key factor in how we communicate in our increasingly connected world.
Although there are still challenges around accuracy and privacy, the advantages of this technology are far-reaching. Keep an eye on how these advancements penetrate creative markets and other areas not reached by AI like the entertainment and marketing industry.
