Having tired of only hearing the translation industry’s take on human-machine translation – of Machine in the Loop (MITL)Machine in the loop is an approach to human/machine translation. Under Machine in the Loop, a human expert (i.e. a translator) makes use of computer-based tools to support them in the translation process. This approach contrasts “human in the loop” (HITL), which only has subordinate human involvement. HITL also does not state whether the human involved is necessary an expert. More and increasingly of Human in the Loop (HITL)Human in the loop is an approach advocated by the translation industry, whereby machine translation is used and the role of human translators is secondary – e.g. doing some kind of post-editing. It has become particularly prevalent with the rise of LLMs. My issues with HITL is that it reduces the role of a human (with no mention of their More from around late 2022 onwards (around the time that Generative AI/LLMs burst onto the scene), I decided to advocate an Expert in the Lead (XITL)EITL/XITL advocates the expert human in the lead rather than in the loop. More approach, for adoption by the translation profession.
All my posts on the XITLEITL/XITL advocates the expert human in the lead rather than in the loop. More approach are available here. They aren’t the only thing I write about – but they do represent a considerable amount of my blogging output. I’m happy to present about the issue at conferences or online events, feel free to get in touch.
- 7 thoughts on how the Human in the Loop approach trivialises the translation profession
In my latest “7 thoughts post” I look at how the HITLHuman in the loop is an approach advocated by the translation industry, whereby machine translation is used and the role of human translators is secondary – e.g. doing some kind of post-editing. It has become particularly prevalent with the rise of LLMs. My issues with HITL is that it reduces the role of a human (with no mention of their More approach to MT trivialises translation as a profession. - Ten Takeaways from the ATA German Language Division Workshop in Vienna (22-23 February 2025)
Ten things I have taken away from the ATA German Language Division Workshop in Vienna. - Who’s in/on the lead in early 2025?
Genuine fresh hope, or a false dawn as the initial AI hype subsides? Is uncertainty the only form or certainty, or maybe expertise will stand human translators in good stead. - What are the values of an Expert in the Lead?
As the translation industry continues to push its HITLHuman in the loop is an approach advocated by the translation industry, whereby machine translation is used and the role of human translators is secondary – e.g. doing some kind of post-editing. It has become particularly prevalent with the rise of LLMs. My issues with HITL is that it reduces the role of a human (with no mention of their More and MITLMachine in the loop is an approach to human/machine translation. Under Machine in the Loop, a human expert (i.e. a translator) makes use of computer-based tools to support them in the translation process. This approach contrasts “human in the loop” (HITL), which only has subordinate human involvement. HITL also does not state whether the human involved is necessary an expert. More agendas, I have tried to draw up a set of values for the Expert in the LeadEITL/XITL advocates the expert human in the lead rather than in the loop. More for professional human translators in the human-machine translation era. - Announcement: Article in Universitas Mitteilungsblatt 4/24
Wie Bergblick und Seeluft Übersetzer:innen inspirieren - Why we need XITL in addition to MITL and HITL
MITLMachine in the loop is an approach to human/machine translation. Under Machine in the Loop, a human expert (i.e. a translator) makes use of computer-based tools to support them in the translation process. This approach contrasts “human in the loop” (HITL), which only has subordinate human involvement. HITL also does not state whether the human involved is necessary an expert. More and HITLHuman in the loop is an approach advocated by the translation industry, whereby machine translation is used and the role of human translators is secondary – e.g. doing some kind of post-editing. It has become particularly prevalent with the rise of LLMs. My issues with HITL is that it reduces the role of a human (with no mention of their More approaches to human-machine interaction in translation suit the translation industry – XITLEITL/XITL advocates the expert human in the lead rather than in the loop. More is what the translation profession needs. - Xitter – no place for an Expert in the Lead
I’ve decided to stop posting and contributing on Twitter/X