Does AI influence perceptions of the translation and interpreting profession? Researching the image of translators and interpreters in society
Abstract
The answer to the question posed in the title of this report appears, at first glance, to be affirmative. Artificial intelligence has already begun to shape the translation and interpreting profession some time ago, as it has many other professional fields (Šveda, Djovčoš & Perez, forthcoming). This influence is manifested in the widespread adoption of machine translation systems, computer-assisted translation tools, and speech recognition and synthesis technologies (Ciobanu & Secară 2019, Secară et al. 2025), which have significantly altered established workflows and professional practices. Tasks that were previously performed exclusively by human translators and interpreters are increasingly being automated or partially delegated to AI-driven systems, leading to changes in productivity expectations, pricing models, and required skill sets (Ciobanu 2024; ELIA et al. 2025). At the same time, the growing presence of artificial intelligence has contributed to a redefinition of professional roles, with language professionals increasingly expected to engage in activities such as post-editing, quality assurance, terminology management, and the ethical evaluation of automated outputs. These developments not only affect the practical dimension of translation and interpreting work, but also have broader implications for professional identity, status, and training, as well as – we believe – for how the profession is perceived by the public and prospective future translators and interpreters and trainees.
Within the translation and interpreting professional community, such developments raise a number of concerns. One of the most frequently reported sources of anxiety among translators is the perceived threat associated with automation (Moorkens 2020, Sakamoto et al. 2024), which not only affects expectations regarding employability and remuneration but also contributes to shifts in professional self-perception and habitus. These anxieties are further reinforced by public discourses that frequently frame artificial intelligence as a replacement rather than a complement to human expertise (Djovčoš & Perez, forthcoming).
Against this backdrop, it remains uncertain how the general public – particularly prospective students and future clients and service users – perceives the image and the future of the translation and interpreting profession. It is unclear to what extent the public is aware of the social and economic value of translation and interpreting, what images or assumptions they associate with translators and interpreters in the contemporary context, and whether young people continue to view translation and interpreting programmes as an attractive field of study. Relatedly, questions arise as to whether language professionals will continue to be sought after to facilitate communication across cultures, languages, and contexts, and how these evolving perceptions and technological developments shape the professional habitus of translators and interpreters. These questions lie at the centre of the research project The Image of Translators and Interpreters in Society.
