AI in translation classrooms: examining student practices in Jordanian and Iraqi universities

Introduction Research in translation education has emphasized the pedagogical relevance of AI systems. This paper evaluates how AI translation tools can support students’ academic and professional translation tasks, with a specific focus on English–Arabic translation. It aims to find out how translation students at several universities in Jordan and Iraq have incorporated AI-powered translation applications and tools. Methods This study uses a large survey evaluating AI adoption among 2,300 undergraduate and graduate students at public and private universities in Jordan and Iraq. The questionnaire comprises two parts: demographic information and 20 Likert-scale items across five major constructs: Frequency and Context of AI Tool Usage, Perceived Trust in AI-Generated Translations, Pedagogical Impact of AI Use, Ethical Awareness and Attitudes, and Preferences and Future Outlook. Results and discussion The findings show that AI tools are increasingly used for drafting and refining sentence structure. While students generally trust AI for grammatical and simple coherence issues, many still rank human translators as more trustworthy for complex tasks. Training in AI, along with higher academic qualifications, is positively correlated with trust, ethical awareness, and, for some students, optimistic views about the future of translation by AI. The findings suggest that these AI tools are entering translation pedagogy and highlight the need for clear institutional policies, ethical guidelines, and curricular infusion.