AI-powerfilled translations displace conventional book translations
A new UK-based company named GlobeScribe is making waves in the book translation industry with its AI-powered translation services. Launched just last month, GlobeScribe is designed specifically for publishers, offering a more accessible and affordable translation solution for fiction authors.
The service currently supports Spanish, German, Italian, and French languages, providing authors and small publishing houses with over one billion native speakers and a truly global audience. This innovation is a significant factor in GlobeScribe's growing popularity.
GlobeScribe's AI-translated books are reportedly indistinguishable from human-translated versions according to blind testing conducted by the company. The innovation has been discussed by Michael Kozlowski, who has written about audiobooks, e-books, and e-readers for the past eighteen years.
The cost of professional human book translation ranges from $7,000 to $17,500 per novel and takes months to complete. In contrast, GlobeScribe charges a flat rate of $100 per book, per language, significantly lowering the cost barrier.
However, the innovation has faced criticism from professional translators and translator societies who argue that AI cannot replicate the nuanced literary sensitivity of expert human translation. They fear it may devalue their work and reduce literary translation quality.
Regarding language support, while the exact languages involved have not been detailed, GlobeScribe's active library of translations includes multiple languages for classic novels, suggesting the AI supports a range of major languages common in literary translation.
Authors using GlobeScribe need to develop e-book cover art for each region they are targeting as the AI system cannot handle text on images. Despite this, the innovation is a notable disruption in an industry traditionally reliant on costly human translators.
GlobeScribe has gained traction with numerous European news outlets, including The Bookseller and The Guardian. As the company continues to grow and expand its language support, it is poised to revolutionize the book translation industry.
[1] The Guardian - AI-powered book translation service disrupts industry [2] The Bookseller - GlobeScribe: The AI-powered book translation service [3] Publishers Weekly - GlobeScribe: The AI-powered book translation service [4] GlobeScribe Library Page [5] Translators Without Borders - AI and the Future of Literary Translation
- Michael Kozlowski, an expert on e-readers and books, has highlighted the impact of GlobeScribe's AI-powered e-book translation service on the industry.
- GlobeScribe's AI technology is not limited to major literary languages, as demonstrated by its active library of translations for classic novels in various languages.
