DIGITAL TRANSLATION: EVOLUTION, TECHNOLOGIES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Digital translation has become one of the most transformative technologies of the digital age, reshaping the way individuals, governments, and businesses communicate across linguistic boundaries. Before the development of digital translation tools, translation was a slow and labor-intensive process dependent entirely on human knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, culture, and context. However, the emergence of computational linguistics, artificial intelligence (AI), and natural language processing (NLP) has revolutionized multilingual communication, making translation faster, more accessible, and increasingly accurate. Digital translation refers to the use of electronic systems, software, and AI-driven platforms to translate text, speech, or multimedia content from one language to another. Examples include Google Translate, Microsoft Translator, DeepL, ChatGPT-based translation modules, and real-time captioning tools used on platforms like YouTube or Zoom. Today, digital translation is integral to global education, business communication, tourism, diplomacy, accessibility tools, and cross-cultural interaction, making it a key component of global technological infrastructure.