Many languages, such as French and Spanish, use gendered nouns. AI translation tools often default to masculine forms, reinforcing gender stereotypes. Google Translate has taken steps to address this.
The Problem
For years, typing “doctor” into Google Translate would return “le médecin” (masculine) in French, while “nurse” returned the feminine “infirmière”. This reflects patterns in the data but also perpetuates bias (Google AI Blog, 2020).
The Solution
In 2020, Google introduced updates that offer both feminine and masculine alternatives in languages like Spanish, French, and Italian. Instead of choosing one, the system now displays both, giving users a more balanced result.
Why It Matters
This change highlights how small interface updates can make AI more inclusive. By acknowledging gender diversity in translation, Google took a step toward reducing bias in everyday digital tools.
Gender bias remains a challenge in AI, but Google Translate’s update shows that design choices can counterbalance data limitations and support more equitable communication.
Curious about the energy and cost behind each article? Here’s a quick look at the AI resources used to generate this post.
🔍 Token Usage
Prompt + Completion: 2,900 tokens
Estimated Cost: $0.0058
Carbon Footprint: ~15g CO₂e (equivalent to charging a smartphone for 2,6 hours)
Post-editing: Reviewed and refined using Grammarly for clarity and accuracy
Tokens are pieces of text AI reads or writes. More tokens = more compute power = higher cost and environmental impact.