Unbabel CEO Predicts AI Will Replace Humans in Translation Within Three Years as It Launches New AI-Powered App

LISBON – Unbabel, a leading translation technology startup, has launched an AI-powered translation app called Widn.AI, which CEO Vasco Pedro claims could eliminate the need for human translators within three years. The new app, introduced at the Web Summit in Lisbon, is based on Unbabel’s proprietary large language model (LLM), Tower, enabling seamless AI translation across 32 languages.

“When we started Unbabel 10 years ago, AI wasn’t at today’s level, so we combined AI with human editing,” Pedro explained. “But now, we believe translation is fully within AI’s reach, and soon, human intervention won’t be necessary except for the most complex cases.” While Widn.AI will be fully automated, Pedro noted that humans would still be needed to ensure translations are delivered to the correct destinations.

Widn.AI enters an increasingly competitive market, joining giants like Google Translate and DeepL in harnessing LLMs for effective multilingual translation. Despite acknowledging that revenue per translated word may drop as a result, Pedro believes that the surge in translated content will continue to fuel Unbabel’s growth. The startup is also seeking additional funding, with plans to raise between $20 million and $50 million to support Widn.AI’s development and market expansion.