I am augmented!
And I offer enhanced solutions.

I am often asked if, when wearing my writer or translator hat, I am concerned about Artificial Intelligence taking over the profession. Here's my response.

My native language is Spanish. My fascination with languages ignited in my teens, starting with French, Hebrew, and Greek. As a young adult, I added Portuguese, English, and a touch of Finnish. This linguistic journey laid the foundation for a career dedicated to the intricate world of words.

MT

At 25, I embarked on a career in language and language technology. I enjoyed the human interaction of hiring, training, and managing Machine Translation (MT) teams for French, German, and Spanish language modules. At the time, the output of MT left much to be desired, but that's when I began the process of becoming an expert post-editor—a copyeditor specialized in editing copy generated by a computer. This, along with developing an expertise in American English, Neutral Latin American Spanish, and Spanglish, proved invaluable when helping develop communications designed for USA Latin communities.

AI Tools

Fast-forward to today's powerful AI tools. As a wordsmith, I'm captivated by the ever-evolving human-machine collaboration and the remarkable advancements in deep learning. I now leverage this technology not as a replacement for human expertise, but as an enhancement.

Output Verified

My approach to AI is grounded in expertise and oversight. I don’t just ask a chatbot a question: I orchestrate a suite of specialized tools, leveraging the strengths of various paid models for distinct purposes. To me, AI is a multifaceted tool: a research assistant, an intern, a peer linguist, and even a sounding board. However, I remain firmly in the driver’s seat.

The Dance

I truly enjoy this dance with technology. Beyond just boosting productivity, AI inspires new ways of thinking—even if prone to occasional hallucinations. This dynamic interaction broadens perspectives and refines the very craft of communication.

The bottom line: I've always enjoyed copyediting, including the post-editing that's been a function in Machine Translation for decades. Today I use these editing chops to review and fact-check copy generated by AI, transforming raw output into compelling, nuanced, and relevant narratives.

Human in the Loop

With years of experience doing this work manually, I know what good output looks like and can use AI for efficiency and creativity rather than necessity, rigorously verifying the output. Here’s THE LOOP:

1. Rico does project design and prompt strategy & generation.

2. AI does the heavy lifting.

3. Rico does the strict quality control, including fact-checking and copy editing.

4. Rinse and repeat, as needed.