| Stran v tématu: [1 2] > | Poll: Are you losing clients due to Machine Translation/AI? Autor vlákna: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Are you losing clients due to Machine Translation/AI?".
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So far, I don't think I've lost any clients, but I'm getting a lot less work and the gap between jobs is getting bigger...
| | | | Alex Lichanow
Německo
Local time: 11:21
angličtina -> němčina
+ ...
| Lost clients | Sep 24, 2024 |
I have explicitly lost one excellent client after they were swallowed by Jonckers because I am not willing to edit machine and AI "translations" at the insulting rates Jonckers are offering.
Other than that, a former regular client cannot send any more work because they themselves have lost most of their EN-DE business to AI.
| | | | Lingua 5B 
Bosna a Hercegovina
Local time: 11:21
angličtina -> francouzština
+ ...
I’m losing (some) clients due to the people willing to do MTPE for $0.0002 per word. And there are plenty, it seems, probably complete amateurs and novices. They’ll give up soon.
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Lieven Malaise
Belgie
Local time: 11:21
Člen (2020)
francouzština -> nizozemština
+ ...
I'm offering MTPE as a service at a competitive yet profitable rate, so no.
| | | | Robert Rietvelt
Local time: 11:21
Člen (2006)
španělština -> nizozemština
+ ...
Clients come, clients go, never telling me the reason why. So, I don't know.
| | | | Liena V.
Lotyšsko
Local time: 12:21
Člen (2014)
francouzština -> lotyština
+ ...
| Probably, but I might have also gained some new ones | Sep 24, 2024 |
I lost one who announced a switch to e-translation (not MTPE, no human work involved at all) although I am occasionally still receiving a different type of projects from that client which they did not require before.
Then there was another formerly regular client who just cut everybody's rates by forced use of MT but there was hardly any work from them already before that.
For the rest I'll never know. Like Robert says, clients come and go and they rarely explain the reasons. On the ... See more I lost one who announced a switch to e-translation (not MTPE, no human work involved at all) although I am occasionally still receiving a different type of projects from that client which they did not require before.
Then there was another formerly regular client who just cut everybody's rates by forced use of MT but there was hardly any work from them already before that.
For the rest I'll never know. Like Robert says, clients come and go and they rarely explain the reasons. On the bright side, I might have also gained some new clients as they seem to struggle even more with finding decent translators now. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Iulia Parvu
Rumunsko
Local time: 12:21
Člen (2022)
angličtina -> rumunština
+ ...
| I don't think so | Sep 24, 2024 |
I'm as busy as ever, and I have a feeling that all this AI training wasn't done by the best minds. So, it might backfire on those who believe it can fully replace humans anytime soon.
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Alex Lichanow
Německo
Local time: 11:21
angličtina -> němčina
+ ...
Lingua 5B wrote:
I’m losing (some) clients due to the people willing to do MTPE for $0.0002 per word. And there are plenty, it seems, probably complete amateurs and novices. They’ll give up soon.
My impression is that more and more end-clients are settling for "good enough" as long as they receive their translations quickly and cheaply. Our only hope seems to be amateurs doing such a crappy job of editing AI output that they actually either overlook or even introduce glaring falsehoods (which, of course, definitely is happening).
[Edited at 2024-09-24 10:42 GMT]
| | | | Philippe Etienne
Španělsko
Local time: 11:21
Člen
angličtina -> francouzština
+ ...
I haven't lost (agency) clients, but I did lose some of their end clients'/brands' business in some or all content types.
A long-standing agency for which I provide PEMT following one of those end clients' requirement computes a fee post-delivery based on my regular word rate and the amount of changes made. While I was a bit suspicious about this method at the beginning, the figures they use and analyses post-translation they apply appear to be fair enough to match my standard hourly rate ... See more I haven't lost (agency) clients, but I did lose some of their end clients'/brands' business in some or all content types.
A long-standing agency for which I provide PEMT following one of those end clients' requirement computes a fee post-delivery based on my regular word rate and the amount of changes made. While I was a bit suspicious about this method at the beginning, the figures they use and analyses post-translation they apply appear to be fair enough to match my standard hourly rate earned doing regular translation.
There is definitely a space where MTPE is profitable (if not exciting), but the mere idea of helping machines instead of the other way round still repels me. And MTPE may be a field where competition is even fiercer than it was for regular translation.
Philippe ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Rate reduction | Sep 24, 2024 |
Many customers have now started to reduce the rates because they only want MTPE or proofreading, as the texts were previously translated using AI.
| | | | Mario Chávez
Spojené státy americké
Local time: 05:21
angličtina -> španělština
+ ...
| The fake promises of AI | Sep 24, 2024 |
I tend to agree. A prospective client approached me last week for some large projects he's quoting. This client, who works in the textbook publishing industry, told me that some publishers had betted on AI technologies with money they didn't have and got burned. Now those publishers are coming back to him.
Hope springs eternal. AI/ChatGPT technologies may not replace writers, translators, interpreters or other creators but many CEOs and idiot managers are betting the farm on those t... See more I tend to agree. A prospective client approached me last week for some large projects he's quoting. This client, who works in the textbook publishing industry, told me that some publishers had betted on AI technologies with money they didn't have and got burned. Now those publishers are coming back to him.
Hope springs eternal. AI/ChatGPT technologies may not replace writers, translators, interpreters or other creators but many CEOs and idiot managers are betting the farm on those technologies to the detriment of their products and services.
MEC
Iulia Parvu wrote:
I'm as busy as ever, and I have a feeling that all this AI training wasn't done by the best minds. So, it might backfire on those who believe it can fully replace humans anytime soon. ▲ Collapse
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David Mossop
Velká Británie
Local time: 10:21
němčina -> angličtina
| As I mentioned... | Sep 24, 2024 |
... in another thread, I have recently been told by two very good (as in fair rates, interesting jobs and reasonable deadlines), long-term agency clients that they can no longer work with me if I don't offer MTPE, which I'm simply not willing to do.
One of them additionally informed me that it is becoming impossible for them to get end-clients to pay the rates for human translation. I don't think it will be too long before my remaining agency clients tell me the same thing.
<... See more ... in another thread, I have recently been told by two very good (as in fair rates, interesting jobs and reasonable deadlines), long-term agency clients that they can no longer work with me if I don't offer MTPE, which I'm simply not willing to do.
One of them additionally informed me that it is becoming impossible for them to get end-clients to pay the rates for human translation. I don't think it will be too long before my remaining agency clients tell me the same thing.
The writing is on the wall in flashing neon, as far as I'm concerned.
[Edited at 2024-09-24 11:14 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Toby Wakely
Španělsko
Local time: 11:21
španělština -> angličtina
+ ...
| It´s just one factor, so I´m not sure. | Sep 24, 2024 |
There are so many factors which might cause a drop in clients, such as old clients moving on, translation agencies and clients always seeking the lowest bidder (the low-cost economy), shoddy standards where clients just accept mediocre translations provided they are more or less understandable and the company can save a few bucks.
For me clients come and go. I have few clients I had eight years ago and I don´t always know the reason why. I have picked up other clients referred to m... See more There are so many factors which might cause a drop in clients, such as old clients moving on, translation agencies and clients always seeking the lowest bidder (the low-cost economy), shoddy standards where clients just accept mediocre translations provided they are more or less understandable and the company can save a few bucks.
For me clients come and go. I have few clients I had eight years ago and I don´t always know the reason why. I have picked up other clients referred to me by them.
I don´t think AI is doing much good to the translation industry. It seems to be debasing it so much that our services are often worth less than that of a cleaner. In fact, that is what I have been doing today because I´m so bored of AI created rubbish. ▲ Collapse
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I haven't lost clients as such, but the volume of work has declined by about 95%. The future is looking grim.
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