The holiday season may be full of joy, but for global businesses it is also a time of tight deadlines, last-minute campaigns and international customer support that does not stop for Christmas dinner. When content needs to be turned around quickly, translation teams can feel like they’re racing Santa himself.
But in the age of AI, our customers often wonder: which is faster, more reliable and more cost-effective – AI translation or human expertise?
The truth is, both have important roles to play. At Business Language Services, we are here to advise on the best option for your requirements. Here is a run-down of how each helps to save Christmas, and how they can be used together.
When AI Helps Save Christmas
AI translation accelerates workflows in ways that were unimaginable even a decade ago. During peak periods, AI can support:
Productivity
Having your document initially translated using our industry-leading AI technology significantly speeds up the process for larger projects with strict deadlines.
Budget
Translation costs are lower for our AI-powered solutions as the initial translation stage does not require extensive human involvement. Ideal if you have a restricted budget for your project.
Efficiency
The AI engine will learn from each project and work hand in hand with our Translation Memory tools. This means that as the technology improves, additional time and cost efficiencies can be passed on to you, as less time will be required by our linguists to edit your content.
But AI alone is not always the best tool for guaranteeing accuracy – especially during the holidays, when messaging is emotional, culturally nuanced and brand-sensitive.
Where Human Translation Becomes Essential
Human experts bring what AI cannot: cultural intuition, empathy and context.
Holiday emotion does not translate literally
Festive idioms, humour and wordplay require human interpretation to retain meaning and tone.
Cultural nuances matter more during Christmas
A greeting or reference that is warm in one culture can be inappropriate or confusing in another.
Brand voice consistency
Holiday campaigns often have a specific tone – magical, playful, refined – and humans ensure that it stays consistent across languages.
Final quality assurance
Especially for public-facing content, professional review by a human linguist is crucial. At Business Language Services, our QA process is embedded into everything we do and is a large part of the reason we hold the ISO 9001:2015 international standard for quality management.
The Real Hero: A Human + AI Hybrid Workflow
The most efficient and effective translation strategy uses both:
AI handles:
- first-pass drafts
- bulk content
- simple text
Human linguists handle:
- editing
- cultural adjustments
- brand tone
- final quality checks
This hybrid model delivers:
✔ faster turnaround
✔ lower cost
✔ premium-quality results
Perfect for the busiest season of the year.
Need Help with a Last-Minute Holiday Project?
Whether you need AI-accelerated translation or human-crafted messaging, the Business Language Services team is here to help – even when Christmas deadlines are looming!
We offer a range of services to cater for every budget and every requirement. From our AI Light service to our gold-standard Translation Plus service, there is something for everyone. You can find out more about our range of AI and human translation services on our website.
