Meta Translation ToolMeta is one of the largest technology companies in the world, with products in several different industries. It’s recently released a new AI translation tool that it says is better than anything on the market – by far.
But is that really true? Or is it just another case of a company talking itself up? We put together this article to help you figure it out.
Let’s get started.
No Language Left Behind
No Language Left Behind (NLLB) is what Meta is calling its new AI translation tool. Here are the main features:
- Translation options for over 200 languages (more than every competitor)
- Higher quality translations (accuracy improvements by an average of 44%)
- Especially useful for fringe languages in Africa and India that lack solid translation tools currently
- Designed to be used online and across the metaverse
How They Did It
Some of the biggest names in technology (Google and Microsoft) are involved in AI-based translations. So you might be wondering how Meta was able to create something that was vastly superior to what its competitors have done in the past.
The answer, it seems, is twofold.
First, Meta is a huge investor in AI research. The company is on the cutting edge of technology and has an incredible internal understanding of the latest and greatest practices in artificial intelligence. They’ve leveraged that internal know-how and applied it to translations to create a really powerful tool.
Second, Meta has made translations for rarer languages a priority like no company has before.
The hard part about these languages is that researchers don’t have as many samples to train them with as they do for more popular languages, like English. So Meta actually sought out people who spoke the languages to have them build out a database and confirm translations.
The result is a translation app that’s up to 70% more effective at translating rarer languages than some of the main competitors.
What’s Next
Meta has made a great product. So what are they going to do with it?
Well, first they’re going to start applying the AI translation tool across their suite of products, including Facebook and Instagram. This should make it much easier for people across the globe to participate on these platforms in their native languages.
But Meta isn’t keeping this technology exclusive. They want to get it into as many hands as possible, so they’re making it available on Github for anyone and everyone to build with. Keep an eye out for that in the near future.
Is NLLB Good Enough to Replace a Translation Firm?
No Language Left Behind may be the most advanced AI translation tool yet. But that doesn’t mean you can use it for all of your translation needs.
If you’ve got a company that does business abroad, then your translations need to be absolutely precise. Otherwise, those deals you agree to may end up meaning different things to you and your counterparty.
The Translation Company can help you with all of your professional translation needs, as we offer high-quality, precise translations across more than 200 languages.
Get in touch to learn more about how we can help.