Translation and AI: what you should know before entering the Montreal market

You recently decided to set up shop in Montréal. Excellent choice. The city is dynamic, bilingual, and offers direct access to the North American market. But there is one blind spot that many foreign businesses overlook until it’s too late: translation. And no, it’s not as simple as pasting your content into ChatGPT.

AI can translate but does it understand your market?

Artificial intelligence has made remarkable advances in translation. Gone are the days of bizarre Google Translate results. Large language models can now produce fluent and grammatically correct text. At least at first glance.

The problem is that AI works through statistical prediction. It doesn’t understand the text, its nuances, or its intent. It doesn’t grasp cultural context, know your brand positioning, or master your preferred terminology choices. It does’t apply critical judgment to the source text. An experienced translator, on the other hand, will ask questions, identify ambiguities, and point out issues before they become costly mistakes.

Québec is a distinct market. Your translation should be as well. AI tools are trained heavily on English content, as well as French content, certainly, but primarily on French from France. The result? Your translated content may sound foreign to Québec audiences. Terms commonly used in Europe may come across as inappropriate or unnatural here.

You have likely heard this already: in Québec, language is also a legal matter. The Charter of the French Language, also known as Bill 101 or Bill 96, imposes specific obligations on businesses operating in Québec. Entering this market is not the time to take shortcuts and expose your business to unnecessary risks.

Five types of risks not to overlook

Here’s what can happen when using AI for translation without adopting guidelines or a strategy:

• Confidentiality risks. Content submitted to online AI tools is usually not confidential. It may be used for training purposes. Contracts, HR data, customer information, basically anything you upload could potentially end up beyond your control.

• Legal risks. A subtle nuance translated incorrectly in a contract can lead to misunderstandings or, in the worst-case scenario, legal action. When expanding into a new market where contractual issues are numerous, this is a very tangible risk.

• Reputational risks. Imagine launching your brand in a new market with promotional materials full of mistakes and awkward phrasing. You only get one chance to make a first impression, especially in a market as attached to its language as Québec.

• Financial risks. Poor translations can lead to product recalls, the loss of an RFP, or having to get out of a hard-earned market. High-quality translation is not a cost; it is insurance.

• Physical risks. If you manufacture products or equipment, poorly translated instructions may jeopardize the safety of your employees or customers, with all the legal and human consequences you can think of.

AI must remain a tool under human supervision

This is not about rejecting artificial intelligence. Translation professionals use it as well, but thoughtfully, with specific instructions and proper validation of results. That is where the difference lies.

Translation should be integrated into your operations and treated for what it truly is: a strategic component of your value proposition. This requires clear governance: internal policies, data security protocols, and ongoing evaluation of the tools being used.

Three best practices to adopt

• Integrate translation into your strategy and operational planning from the outset.

• Define in which contexts AI is acceptable and in which contexts it is not.

• Partner with local professional translators who understand both the tools and the Québec market.

In closing

Setting shop in Montréal also means becoming part of a distinct linguistic culture. Translation can be a powerful tool for credibility, compliance, and protection. Provided it is approached thoughtfully. Adopting a clear translation strategy can make the difference between a successful expansion and a missed opportunity to make a good first impression.