The Transformative Role of Artificial Intelligence in Translation and Interpretation

In the past decade, artificial intelligence (AI) has transitioned from a niche technological concept to a mainstream tool with significant impact across professional and academic fields. Translation and interpretation stand out as areas where AI has exerted transformative influence. By integrating neural machine translation, natural language processing, and multimodal models, AI systems have revolutionized how humans approach text translation, real-time speech interpretation, and cross-lingual communication. This article provides a comprehensive exploration of the applications, strengths, and limitations of AI in translation and interpretation. It highlights both the opportunities AI creates—such as speed, scalability, and access—and the risks it poses, including cultural loss, bias, and ethical concerns. Drawing on recent research and professional practices, the study argues that the future of translation is not one of human replacement but of human–AI collaboration, where translators shift roles toward post-editing, cultural mediation, and critical oversight.