I wrote last month about how Google Assistant was about to get even smarter in the area of language translation. Sure, their Google Translate app works pretty good but Google was going to inject the AI power of their Assistant into translation to take things up a notch.
Google Assistant Now Translates Like a Pro – and Hotels Love It
Well, they have succeeded! The new Google Assistant language translation feature is available on all Google smart devices (like Google Home, Google Home Mini, Google Home display) and it can help you if you want to learn some foreign phrases or if you need help translating anything.
It Translates Very Well – Even Whole Conversations
I tried it myself with some phrases and languages I am familiar with it and it does a good job! In fact, it works almost too well. For example, I had my Google Home speaker on and was translating with it and then went on to do something else.
Well, it kept listening (because I had not told it I was done) and when I stopped speaking, it translated the whole, long thing I had just been saying to someone! Plus, it did it at a nice, almost human cadence and quite clearly! I am impressed!
Google Assistant’s Translation in Hotels
While this is nice for some language translation at home or in the office, the real power will be in situations where you will need to interact with people from different countries. Fortunately, hotels have already been trying this out and they really like the way it helps them be more attentive to the needs and questions of their guests that may not speak a language the hotel agent does.
Three hotels, Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Dream Downtown in NYC, and the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, have been using the Google Assistant translation feature and it has helped in many key ways. Here are some examples given by Google:
At Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, where the concierge team welcome numerous international guests due to the hotel’s proximity to the airport, Korean, Japanese, and Mandarin have been the top translated languages. Guests typically use the feature to get help with questions about San Francisco landmarks, tourist destinations and to discover restaurants nearby.
Most recently, a Korean guest used interpreter mode to help plan out his first trip to San Francisco. Without interpreter mode, he wouldn’t have been able to take advantage of local recommendations from the concierge.
To see more examples, visit the Google blog.
How to Use Google Assistant for Language Translation
To get started on your own, all you need to do is to say something like, “Hey, Google, be my ____ interpreter” or “Hey, Google, help me speak ______” and you will be on your way!
This feature will be coming to smartphones so this could be huge for travelers then!
Excellent use of technology!