Introduction
As language professionals, we find ourselves at what feels like a crossroads, where artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming our context. The question of whether we should pause language-related AI development is thought provoking, but a moratorium would likely be neither practical nor achievable. Realistically, we need to focus on how to harness AI’s potential while addressing its challenges.
It is crucial to recognise that ‘AI’ is not a monolithic entity but a diverse set of technologies with varying applications in the lives and work of linguists. From machine translation to speech recognition, many of these tools are used routinely.
As linguists, we have a unique responsibility to shape the development of language-related AI. Our expertise is invaluable. Ultimately, AI is not a battle to win, or a technology to ban; it is a capability we need to shape. And we are well placed to do so as it is built on what we do best: languages.
Key Points
"As linguists, we have a unique responsibility to shape the development of language-related AI. Our expertise is invaluable."
John Worne, CEO CIOL
"We have to embrace AI as a core asset for linguists, but we also need to be clear that the linguist is still the heart (and soul) of the process."
Expert Linguists, GCHQ
"The Humanities can help shape the safer integration of AI tools into translation and interpreting workflows. But without safeguards AI risks exacerbating inequalities."
Prof. Sabine Braun, University of Surrey
"What is clear to me in the high-stakes situations in which I work – most notably, international peace and security and nuclear safety – is there is simply no substitute for the oversight and human judgement of a professional linguist".
Bokani Hart, French/English Translator & Interpreter
"Our core language skills and cultural understanding are our superpowers as professional linguists, and I don’t see that changing."
Mark Robinson, CIOL Council member and Managing Director of Alexika
"When it comes to AI we need to embrace a learning mindset which brings to the fore our natural curiosity as linguists – not fear and denial."
Vasiliki Prestidge, CIOL Council member and Director Greek to Me Translations
"I believe the challenge lies in shaping AI development to align with ethical standards and human values, not halting advancement."
Katharine Allen, SAFE-AI
"Rather than declaring AI a panacea or denouncing it as a threat to civilisation, we need to support language and public service professionals as they navigate difficult communicative settings that call for nuanced ethical judgements."
Dr Lucas Nunes Viera, University of Bristol
"Unsupervised public service use of AI-based translation is unacceptably risky."
Dom Hebblethwaite, Head of Membership CIOL
AI is new but the advent of new tools is age-old, as is our human story of adaptation to change. This familiar evolution reveals another very human trait – to look for the shortest route to our objective. So our job as linguists – and communicators – is to advocate for quality and simply to do it better.
Steve Doswell, Chair of CIOL Council
CIOL’s 2025 reflections on AI in translation and language services:
1. We can’t stop AI technology but there are aspects of it we should continue to challenge - Embracing AI technologies is inevitable and unavoidable, and they can make linguists’ work more efficient; but we do need to continue to highlight and confront the downsides.
2. New models will mean new opportunities - As AI technologies become ubiquitous, they will also become more accessible, both lowering the costs of using them and enabling new business models for individual translators and for translation companies; there should be opportunities for all, so existing linguists need not be losers.
3. In the future much more content will be translated - The vast majority of content produced worldwide is not translated. New technology will enable much more content to be translated globally, with commensurate opportunities for linguists who can ensure it is fit for purpose.
4. The human is – and will continue to be – essential - The skills of linguists in translating true meaning, assuring quality and post-editing, interpretation of nuance and cross-cultural navigation will become all the more important and valuable as AI-based translation tools become more and more ubiquitous.
5. The most skilled linguists will be the most in demand - As it becomes increasingly hard to distinguish machine from human translation – at least at the superficial level and in the most highly resourced languages – creative and skilled linguists will be all the more valuable, as they will make the final difference to the end product.
And our concerns:
1. Machines being left to their own devices - If AI is seen to or seems to produce good (enough) quality content, companies, public services and national governments may be tempted to cut corners and take risks in more widespread and unmonitored use.
2. Data runs out of control - Society, organisations and individuals need to be alert to the data we ‘give away’ when we input it into translation tools and generative AI. We need to be more alert to where data goes, what use is made of it and who profits from it.
3. AI gives a whole new meaning to ‘fatal errors’ - The errors that translation tools and AI make are more common in less well-resourced languages. Over time errors may also become harder and harder to spot (especially in English) as AI improves. This includes mistakes with numbers, names, terms and who is the subject and who is the object - which are crucial in legal, health, public service and contractual contexts. This makes it all the more important that AI isn’t used without human oversight in high stakes interpreting or translating - and this needs government, public services and regulatory attention.
4. The hype undermines the understanding of the added value an expert human linguist brings to the process - How languages and the language industry works is already poorly understood in the wider world. The impact of AI risks persuading even the most sophisticated people and organisations, that algorithms can reliably do things which they can’t.
5. An even deeper ‘digital divide’ for less well-resourced languages - Given the overwhelming advantages English has in the amount of digital content and the focus of commercial digital players, there is a major risk that English and the biggest ‘world languages’ will dominate others in an AI-led languages paradigm.
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