Memsource will release the first feature powered by newly developed artificial intelligence technology. The AI-powered Non-translatables feature, which can recognize and automatically confirm non-translatable segments and content in over 200 language pairs, will be available as an option in the Enterprise and Ultimate editions of the translation management system on January 16, 2018, and in all paid editions in the following weeks.

Non-translatable segments and content contain characters, symbols, and words that do not need to be translated between most language pairs, such as numbers, formulas, code, email addresses, and currency.

Testing indicates that among the top 100 language pairings in Memsource Cloud, 14% of segments and 4% of content are non-translatables. If the AI technology is enabled, these non-translatable segments and content can be confirmed and locked during the pre-translation process, saving time for project managers and translators, and costs for translation buyers.

“Recently, within the translation industry, we have noticed a lot of focus on post-editing, from training translators on how to efficiently post-edit to perfecting the post-editing feature set in translation technology products,” said David Čaněk, Memsource CEO and Head of Product.

The AI technology is able to tell when a segment is a non-translatable with little or no need for post-editing. This means higher translation efficiency and cost reduction, and less repetitive work for translators.

“Going forward, our customers will benefit from less post-editing in Memsource,” said Čaněk, “which will save them time and reduce their costs.”

AI-Powered Non-Translatables in Memsource

Non-translatable matches can be identified within Memsource by the NT acronym and by 100% or 99% matches – a 100% match indicates a non-translatable segment with no need for post-editing, and a 99% match indicates a possible non-translatable segment has been identified but should be confirmed by a human translator.

When enabled, non-translatables can assist in reducing the number of segments and words to be translated but attached translation memory and term bases will always override the non-translatables feature.

The non-translatables feature can be activated in both the analysis and pre-translate sections of translation project settings, can be included in Net-rate Schemes for pricing templates, and is identifiable in the post-editing analysis.

The Launch of an AI Team

The AI team was created in early 2017 after it was clear machine learning technology could bring added value to Memsource users. The AI team is comprised of seasoned software engineers with academic and enterprise track records in Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP), led by R&D Manager Dalibor Frívaldský, who joined the Memsource development team in 2011.

“I’ve been following the progress in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for some time,” said Frívaldský, “and it has become apparent that AI is not just a buzzword – it is a tangible, innovative, and breakthrough approach to solving a wide array of problems.

“The first positive results came quickly and I’m happy to say that AI is now an integral part of Memsource. We believe our customers will appreciate our efforts to bring innovative solutions to the translation market.”

The team is currently researching new applications of artificial intelligence to reduce repetitive translations, improve quality, and reduce turnaround time and costs.

“We have doubled the Memsource team in size to over 70 in the past year and have launched a number of new teams,” said Čaněk. “It’s great to see that the AI team has delivered a truly innovative feature in such a short time-span.

“I am equally excited about additional upcoming features the AI team has in the pipeline that will provide customers with even more ways to save time and costs.”

About Memsource
Memsource is an AI-powered, cloud-based translation management system that enables global companies, agencies, and translators to collaborate in one secure online location. Founded in 2010, Memsource is internationally recognized for providing an easy-to-use, yet powerful translation environment which processes over two billion words per month from over 200,000 users around the world. Combining robust performance, customizable features, and user-friendliness, leading translation buyers and providers use Memsource to reduce costs, automate workflows, and streamline their translation process.