One of the most practical uses for AI video tools right now is language translation.

After testing out HeyGen’s video translate feature, it’s clear this tech is evolving fast—and it has real potential for value.

With HeyGen, you can upload a video, choose a target language, adjust a few settings, and in minutes, have it translated into a different language.

I tried it out with Mandarin Chinese, and while I’m far from fluent, the results were impressive. The tool mimicked my voice and tone and even synced my lips to the new language.

Here’s the video of me testing it out:

Is is perfect? No. Is it useful? Probably.

I’m sure the translation was filled with errors and non-human weirdness (if you’re fluent in Mandarin, feel free to critique).

But the main point is this: the technology appears to be good enough to communicate a message. And that could be incredibly valuable, especially if you work with global teams and audiences.

Cost savings of AI video translation

The real win here is the cost savings. HeyGen video translate can drastically cut costs for teams creating multilingual content.

Google says standard human voice-over rates for Mandarin are around $40 per minute. With HeyGen, it’s closer to $6 per minute.

That’s an 85% reduction in price. If you are building large volumes of content at scale, that can be a significant budget difference.

Which teams could get value from AI video translation?

AI video translation tools (like HeyGen) is most valuable for teams that regularly create content or communications for international audiences.

Here are a few examples of teams that could get value from this:

• Corporate L&D training: Using AI to translate training videos into multiple languages allows L&D teams to distribute learning across the globe, with quickness. That allows all of your employees to receive equal access to the same information, allowing for faster and more consistent learning experiences across your company.

• Customer education: This one hits home for me as I’ve personally been on localization projects that failed. Translating customer facing content is expensive and time-consuming. If this technology is good enough to translate product training materials, it would allow customer education teams to reach international customers to help drive product adoption and customer success.

• Marketing: While the technology may not be quite ready for some brand’s customer-facing communications, it may allow marketers to A/B test content in different markets to see what sticks. It could also be used to translate social media videos and product demos.

• Internal communications: For large global enterprises, it can be challenging to keep everyone on the same page. AI translation tools can make company-wide announcements and changes accessible to everyone, regardless of language.

How to Use HeyGen Video Translate (Step-by-Step)

HeyGen is super easy to use. (btw i’m not getting paid by HeyGen, this is just the tool I tried first). Here’s a simple guide to test it out:

1. Select ‘Create a new video.’ Once you have an account, select ‘Create a new video’ on the main screen.
2. Select ‘Video Translation.’ HeyGen will ask you what type of video you’d like to create. This might be obvious, but you’re going for a translation…right? Select it!
3. Upload your video. Find your finished video in its original language and upload it.
4. Adjust the settings: Here’s where you select your target language, plus you’ll have options for fine-tuning the translation.
5. Generate your video: Hit the “Translate” button and let the AI do its work. Within a few minutes, you’ll have a translated version of your video ready to download or share. Pretty cool!

Final thoughts

AI translation won’t replace humans anytime soon. There’s still something about learning directly from people that technology just can’t replicate…yet.

But for reaching a global audience in a short time, HeyGen video translate might be worth checking out. I found it to be a compelling tool in my experimentation. If you’re in the market for a video translation tool, I’d recommend giving it a try.