translation
Common Misconceptions About Translation
As AI translation spreads, certain misconceptions about patent translation are easy to fall into. Here, we address each one through how ip-pro actually works.
The view that AI and machine translation will replace human translation
The hard part of patent translation lies less in the wording itself than in correctly understanding the technical content, the impact on claim interpretation, and wording that anticipates filing and the enforcement of rights. AI and machine translation are powerful aids to that work. At ip-pro, an experienced patent translator checks and corrects their output sentence by sentence.
The view that translation companies using AI translation are all the same
The difference lies in where AI is used, how far humans check the work, how data is managed, and who is responsible for the deliverables. At ip-pro, we document all of this for each project and show the client exactly how we operate.
The view that MTPE (machine translation plus post-editing) is simplified translation
ip-pro's post-editing does not stop at fixing grammar or polishing the wording. So the result holds up as patent translation, an experienced patent translator checks the technical accuracy of the meaning, the impact on claim interpretation, and the consistency of terms and notation, correcting them as needed. We run MTPE as a step with human judgment built in.
The view that human translation means no tools are used
Human translation means translation in which humans make all the judgments. At ip-pro, we keep human judgment at the center while using a translation management system (TMS) and translation memory in a supporting role to improve terminological consistency and coherence. Using tools and deciding where judgment sits are two separate things.
The concern that using AI means translation data is learned from or reused
At ip-pro, translation data is kept separate for each client, and we never reuse it on other clients' projects or release it externally for machine learning. Access is limited to the staff assigned to the project and to administrators. The real question here is not whether the technology is sound, but how the data is handled and managed.
The view that the translation method is for the translation company to decide
At ip-pro, we never decide the translation method on our own. Whether human translation or machine translation plus post-editing (MTPE), we discuss the choice with the client on every project, and the decision rests with them.
The anxiety that you will be left behind unless you adopt AI and machine translation
What matters is not riding a trend, but having options that fit the client's policy and the nature of the project. ip-pro offers both human translation and MTPE (machine translation plus post-editing), so even as a client's policy shifts over time, we are set up to respond flexibly.
For more on ip-pro's translation structure, see also: