Technology will never eliminate human translators.
Although more automation is needed to satisfy the increasing demand for translation, technology will never completely eliminate human translators. Localization, and what we call "mission-critical" translation, is best carried out with the right combination of human and machine translation. At KCSL we develop technologies that help translators get the job done, without disrupting their work habits and environment.
To optimize the localization process, we must recognize that the actual process of translating text is quite distinct from the technical infrastructure that facilitates this process. While the two must ultimately combine in the overall translation experience, the industry should ensure the two remain independent by design.
I believe that natural language processing techniques, which we have been applying at KCSL for over two decades, are critical to the future of the translation industry. This does not mean that complete language automation is just around the corner. Automated advanced linguistic techniques can and do work well on very well-defined tasks. On more general tasks, however, humans know and use linguistic information they have acquired, almost instinctively, in a manner that computers today are still not able to match. Humans are better than machines on many translation tasks and probably will continue to be so for quite some time.
KCSL sees TAUS as an excellent forum for exchanging and crystallizing ideas and best practices that impact in a positive and far-reaching manner on the language industry.