WILL AI REPLACE TRANSLATORS?
Claret Christensen traces the translation’s journey from an ancient bridge between cultures to an AI-assisted industry where experienced linguists face falling rates, insecure work and a troubling contradiction.
By Claret Soares Christensen.
Technologies have historically been agents of transformation in society. They enable the development of new models of work and life and sometimes promote the transformation or the accelerated elimination of certain professions. Recently, a Microsoft article listed some professions at risk of disappearing due to AI use. Translation is one of the professions that has been significantly affected by the use of Large Language Models (LLMs) in the field, both for technical and literary translation.
As an ancient profession used in various contexts to connect people with different languages and cultures, it has been discussed using different approaches throughout history. Translation was essential for the early dissemination of key cultural and religious texts and concepts.
