How Google Translate Turns 134 Languages Into Math | WSJ Tech Behind

Google Translate uses sophisticated neural networks to translate 134 languages in real time. And using your phone’s camera, it can translate your surroundings without typing. The same machine-learning approach that is the building block of modern AI is used for the newest iterations of Google Translate, a so-called “transformer model.”

WSJ explains how the translation tech works with help from the Google engineers.

Chapters:
0:00 Early Google Translate
0:32 Translation
4:41 Optical character recognition
6:38 Putting the translation in AR

'The Tech Behind' explores the amazing engineering, computing, science and algorithms that power our favorite tech.

#Google #Translate #WSJ

[Uchenna-bt]

Math, hate it or love it, it will always be a universal language

[sdsd]

Craziest part of this is how Google Translate is available to everyone for free

[alexnaumov]

These developers are too smart. I couldn’t even understand what they explained.

[hiddendrifts]

having visuals to enhance the basic explanations makes connecting the dots between concepts so much easier. i knew vectors and matrices were involved in machine learning... somehow, but the way this video presented the topic helped me make the connection of what exact role they have

[spacewalker]

I never considered matrices can be used to translate language. That’s fascinating.

[Alorio-Gori]

Massive respect and shout out to all the Developers who made this possible ❤

[kylehudsons]

So this was what my previous job of text transcribing for Google was for.

[kurdx]

It is one of the best digital products ever created. They have also recently added 110 more languages, bringing the total number of languages and dialects supported to 243.

[EcomCarl]

The evolution of Google Translate into a neural network-driven tool is a remarkable achievement in technology! Leveraging transformers and OCR not only improves language processing capabilities but also bridges communication gaps globally, enhancing cross-cultural interactions and business operations.

[entropymaster]

Somehow this shows the deep relationship between language and mathematics. And it doesn't matter the language! Maybe our brains too are performing mathematical computations when they generate and understand language expressions... Artificial intelligence is exposing in data structures and silicon how our mind works...

[tungbuu]

About 10 years ago when I first used Google Translate in highschool, it churned out an absolute mess of word-by-word translation which took me more time to rephrase than actually translating the materials myself. So I never used Google Translate again. Until about just a few years ago I started using again, and was amazed at how accurate and well-phrases the translation had become. Now finally someone explains how it happened. Fascinating!

[oakspines]

Each word we use regardless of the languages has a meaning, and we naturally use comparision, addition, subtraction, negation, etc to use and express context relationship which are actually math.

[endgamefond]

I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE GRAPICH DESIGNERS FOR THIS VIDEO. YOU ARE INSANELY TALENTED. YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE CONTENT TO MAKE THE DESIGNS. YOU GUYS NEED TO GET A RAISED!

[.]

So even if two languages are more closely related to each other than to english, it still goes through english? It's also surprising how good GPT is at translation considering it wasn't made for it.

[yongjinnkim]

I majored in business administration and learned linear algebra in my freshman semester. I hated it at that time, but I am pretty happy now since I have got some concept of thinking mathematically.

[Eli-cqjq]

It's helpful. My children used it to communicate with some of our family members.

[harmanpreetsingh]

They even preserve the underlying font of the input language. Just WOW!

[LFTRnow]

Mathematics is the language of nature.

[sasstewart]

Say what you will about Google... its things like Translate which makes me LOVE GOOGLE. Thank you google.

[urbanstrencan]

Interesting tech behind the best app that Google ever made 😊😊