Google Translate can be a useful tool for someone who doesn't speak another language and wants to use it as a first draft for writing something in that language. However, its accuracy varies depending on the language pair and content type. Some reports show that Google Translate can be up to 94% accurate for certain language pairs and content types, but this can drop significantly for more complex or nuanced language expressions.
It's worth noting that Google Translate's accuracy has improved significantly over the years, particularly with the introduction of Neural Machine Translation (NMT) in 2016. This technology has reduced translation errors by over 60% for several major language pairs. However, even with NMT, there are still limitations to what Google Translate can achieve. For example, it struggles to translate colloquial phrases, and the accuracy can drop significantly for certain language pairs.
Therefore, while Google Translate can be a useful starting point for someone who doesn't speak another language and wants to write something in that language, it's important to keep in mind its limitations. It's always a good idea to have a native speaker review the translation or use a professional translation service for important documents or content that requires a high level of accuracy.