Not Sure Which Languages to Choose?
If you want to reach global audiences, you need to translate your content and if you need to translate your content - you need tools for the job. While AI isn’t a perfect solution (you will still need the done product to be checked by native speakers), it’s something that might make the whole process faster and easier on you. Let’s dive into the tools that could be used for that.
ChatGPT (GPT‑4‑Powered)
The first tool that can easily be accessed and used is the tool everyone at least heard about once: ChatGPT. With the GPT-4o model, it offers plenty of versatile options for translation. While it can’t process video files, it can translate subs or transcripts.
For example, you can take out subtitles from a YouTube video, put them into ChatGPT, and easily get translations in other languages. It takes time, but it takes much less time and money if you were to translate everything with dictionaries, Google’s help, or hiring translators for the job.
Pros:
- Supports over 50 languages (we tested this).
- Can handle complex sentence structures and expressions.
- Perfect for creators who prefer a hands-on approach and need customizable translations.
Cons:
- Does not support direct video file input; needs manual extraction of subs or transcripts.
- Lacks synching features like lip-syncing or voice cloning.
- May not handle multi-speaker scenarios effectively without additional editing.
It’s a very simple tool that’s best suited for creators who already have done subtitles and just need them translated into multiple languages. For example, if you have a video + subtitles in English and want to make subs in Spanish and French, ChatGPT can help in translating the text.
Keep in mind that you will still need to check the done material with native speakers, because of possible issues with pacing. ChatGPT can translate, but the translation itself will not be paced correctly.
Gemini (Google’s Multimodal LLM)
The next tool is another popular one, which is Gemini (created by Google). Specifically it’s 2.5 Pro version. The tool excels in multimodal tasks, which includes video translation. It can process video files, generate subs, and even provide translations with contextual understanding. Sounds amazing, right? But this tool also has its drawbacks.
Pros:
- Directly processes video files, generating translations and subs.
- Supports a lot of languages and dialects.
- Offers contextual translation that keeps the tone of the original content.
Cons:
- Needs a subscription for advanced features.
- May have limitations with niche content.
- Processing large video files can take a long time.
While a bit more tricky than ChatGPT, Gemini is far from being perfect. It’s great for creators making content in several languages or trying to reach a global audience. For example, a tech reviewer creating videos in English can use Gemini to translate and subtitle their videos into German, Japanese, and Portuguese. Again, AI isn’t the final solution for subtitles and transcripts. While it can translate decently enough, the issue with pacing will need to be corrected manually.
Perplexity AI
Perplexity AI is a conversational search engine that takes several AI models and jumbles it into one, which includes both GPT-4o and Gemini, to provide real-time answers and translations. It’s not a dedicated video translation tool, but it can help in translating video content by processing transcripts or subs.
Pros:
- Offers real-time, context-aware translations.
- Uses multiple AI models for additional perspectives.
- Useful for quick translations or clarifications during content creation.
Cons:
- Does not support direct video file input.
- Lacks features like subtitle generation or voice sync.
- Mainly designed for text-based questions, not multimedia content.
It’s a simple model, but it’s useful for creators who need quick translations or clarifications while making content. For example, if you're editing a video and see a phrase in a foreign language, you can use Perplexity AI to understand its meaning and decide whether to include it in your content.
Want to expand globally?
AI is a great tool to dip your toes in the waters of global content, but human translation and localization services still do the job better. Reach out to us and learn more!
Best Tool by Use Case
For creators who’ve been there and done that, AI can be a great helping tool that saves quite a bit of time (especially if the job is something simple like translating subs). However, how do you choose between the options presented? The answer is simple, it depends on your specific needs.
For example:
- ChatGPT is great if you aim to translate the existing subtitles manually.
- Gemini offers more advanced features for multilingual content creation.
- Perplexity AI provides quick translations during the editing process.
Each tool has its pros and cons, and the best choice depends on your content type, audience, and what you actually need to translate. However, for creators aiming for the global markets, using these tools together might prove to be a great way to dip their toes into translation and understand which markets they should explore and expand onto. Then, it’s better to hire human professionals to help you localize fully!
Final Take
When it comes to AI translation, there’s no perfection or one-tool that does it all. But, each of the presented tools can prove to be of great help. Our recommendation goes as follows:
- Draft translations & context with ChatGPT or Gemini.
- Cross-check named entities and accuracy with Perplexity.
- Make subtitles or dubbed versions using help from professional translators and voice actors (both of which we can provide in multiple languages) and fully localize your channel, especially if you’re serious about multilingual distribution.
That three-tier system balances cost, quality, and scale.
As always, remember: audience trust comes from delivering polished, culturally relevant content and AI, while a great tool, can’t quite reach the necessary heights, especially if your content relies heavily on narration.
We’ve helped creators deploy exactly this setup: using AI where it shines and removes the tedious tasks from the pipeline, and specialist tools when it matters. If you’re ready to turn your channel into a global brand with multilingual polish, we’re ready to help you.
