Do translators have a future?

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Any translators out there? Would you advise an interested 20-something to do a translation MA in the hope of working as a freelance translator (German / French / Spanish to English) or is AI translation advancing so rapidly that you don't see much call for human translators in the future?
Thank you for any insights.

Changethetoner · Today 17:25
Does AI translate nuance correctly though? Can it pick up sarcasm and jokes

I wondered that. I read somewhere that ‘out of sight, out of mind’ was translated as “lost their sight and suffering from mental illness”.
You can see how that translation came about but it’s not what the phrase means or even close.

I wouldn’t. An old friend is a translator and pay rates have been static for years. Not just down to AI, it is also because it is something that people will do for free for practice, or undercut one another to win work.

As a translator who has worked for some of the "big" international orgs, I am in two minds on this. I love my job and earn a great salary. My colleagues all seem to have lovely and very comfortable lives. The texts we translate are often poorly written, which means DeepL and the like can struggle to make sense of them. So I feel secure at the moment. The market is increasingly tough, though, and orgs are cutting down on the number of contracts they offer. There's definitely a move towards using more AI and post-editing but they haven't taken over yet. For now, I'm just trying to enjoy it but I do anticipate having to retrain one day.

At school we regularly need translators, we do have apps for it available but the young children (primary) need face to face support and to understand the nuance that only a person can provide, plus the added explanations and context that the translator can do that an app might not. So maybe an educational angle wouldn't be so quickly taken over by AI, could be something to consider?

This is my field of expertise, including advising international organisations on the future of human translation and AI.

There is still a place for it but the market share is decreasing fast.

There are still areas where the risk of using AI is too high (medical, legal..,) and I expect that there will still be a niche for humans in these areas for some time to come.

Language combinations still matter greatly. AI is excellent in English and many other of the "big" languages. Less so the lesser spoken ones.

International organisations all still employ human translators. But you need to be expert in using and understanding all the MT and other automated tools available, as these are widely used in the big organisations.

There is still space in literary translation for humans but that is notoriously badly paid and not a viable career for most English translators.

There will continue be a market for translation project managers, post editors and linguistic consultants.

But pure old fashioned translation, less so. Universities are aware of this...

So I'd not necessarily say to steer clear - but know it's not the same career as it was. You have to go in with eyes wide open, embrace the tech and become an expert at harnessing it.

I don't think literary translators will be fully replaced. But it's tough work for shit pay.

I was a translator (French and Mandarin to English) but I'm retraining as a data analyst.

Universities are aware of this...

Yep they are. Mind you they have their own struggles right now.

This is interesting. I work in the public sector in Wales, where there is a requirement to translate all documents to Welsh. In my place of employment, despite a massive need for cutbacks, a policy of staff leaving not being replaced and massive job losses looming, the Welsh translation team is the only one that has INCREASED its staff numbers and has just taken on a Welsh translation trainee. Why on earth is this work not being done with AI? All public bodies will have these welsh translation teams. It’d save the public sector a fortune to just do this with AI.

DD is a conference interpreter with the EU based in Brussels. Now has accreditation for five languages, is highly sought after and very well paid (she is in her mid 20’s). Her boyfriend has a similar role. Their teams are growing as there is more demand not less.

I'd imagine for this though you're looking for native level in community languages like Gujurati, Mirpuri, maybe Polish or Turkish depending where you're living. Same for medical appointments as someone mentioned. Not so much French and German!

AI isn’t designed to replace humans 100%, it’s to make it so that one human can do the job of 10.

So AI will translate something, a human will check it and then review the bits that seem odd. That then teaches the AI so it knows for next time.

@Parker231 Your DD has a EU passport though. It’s very very difficult for normal Brits to get this work in the EU or similar organisations.

I think AI will struggle for a long time with anything poetic, or where there is a lot of nuance. It is really rubbish at poetry. So I agree with PP who said that it's unlikely to replace literary translation.

Definitely my experience. I would get it proofed by a native speaker, but just to cover myself.

Yes, for now, but in a few years AI will get better. The private sector will probably move to AI before the public sector does, but professional interpreters know they haven't got many years left.

The private sector will probably move to AI before the public sector does, but professional interpreters know they haven't got many years left.

I wonder if applicants for interpreting courses have declined a lot. Presumably they have if there’s no future for the profession.

DD and her colleagues aren’t concerned as much of their work has security and cultural implications and won’t be done by AI although it is used for some lower level tasks. There is still much competition for their roles and similar with the UN.

Jobs for translators are dropping. Sibling is one. Interpreters, however, still have quite a lot, friend is one.
It's been hard for translators for a while now.

Do you mean interpreters?

A translator works with the written word.

An interpreter works with the spoken word, usually live.

They're totally different jobs and a translation degree would not equip someone with the skills to work as an interpreter.

Add Arabic, Russian or Chinese and work for the UN. Otherwise, no.

Freelance translation has been a tough gig unless you have an unusual but in demand language combination for a long time. To work as freelance translator ir PEMT with any big agency you will normally need to be as native in your into language and employed industry experience (3 yrs). I work in the industry (not a translator) and there is still a big language services sector needing graduates with language interests and skills but its largely tech / project management/ consultancy led.

Been a freelancer for 20+ years. I would only advise my worst enemies to do this as a career 😂. It is far too niche, my advice is to broaden your skillset and pair it with work in related fields such as language teaching (if you can stand it).

Apart from AI and the disappearing jobs, the translation industry itself is simply awful, and very high-stress. Rock-bottom rates, ridiculous deadlines and ignorant reviewers.

If you are determined to try, then Medical or Legal might be an option, if you can gain some real-world experience in either of those industries. German would be by far the best language to concentrate on, as there is still quite a lot of demand in some areas and fewer people speak it well. Forget Spanish.

@SlothOnARope what about Arabic?

Years ago, early 1970s, I wanted to be a translator. School were pushing me into secretarial courses, but I did not want to be a secretary with languages, if I had anything to do with secretaries, wanted to be the person having one, and anyway computers were going to see off shorthand/audio/typing very soon as far as I was concerned. But a careers advice bod told me I'd need a degree in the language(s) plus a degree in a specialist subject (economics, engineering etc) so I could translate in that field. And I was backing a loser anyway "because the UN only have a few translators, and they're all men". So I left school and college shortly after that and got myself a job (trainee fashion buyer) where my schoolgirl standard languages were useful. And in time I did indeed have someone to type stuff up for me.
To read now, 50 years later, that computers have now taken over translation is not surprising. I'm only surprised it's taken so long.

DD and her colleagues aren’t concerned as much of their work has security and cultural implications and won’t be done by AI although it is used for some lower level tasks.
I work with a lot of senior managers of interpreters in the big orgs and I can assure you that AI is definitely going to creep in. Perhaps not tomorrow but it is to be expected. I know a lot of EU and UN interpreters who are convinced they are "safe" but this is quite short sighted. I also knew many translators with that mindset about 15 years ago. Most of them have had to face up to the reality now though!