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Are Translators Afraid of Artificial Intelligence?

Author

Listed:
  • Vassil Kirov

    (Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 13A Moskovska Str., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria)

  • Bagryan Malamin

    (Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 13A Moskovska Str., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria)

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a leading technology in the digital transformation. AI is expected to cause job losses in general, initially in professions associated with routine activities, and subsequently in the field of creative professions. The present article analysed the results of the authors’ own empirical sociological survey of the attitude of Bulgarian translators towards AI, and the ways in which it will change their profession. Most of them perceive artificial intelligence and automatization as threats to the profession. According to them, digital technologies and AI will modify the profession by relieving human translators of the routine, technical part of the job. Hence, translators will predominantly edit machine-translated texts, and teach artificial intelligence to perform machine translation. The conclusion of the analysis demonstrates that, in the case of Bulgarian translators, such pessimistic scenarios about mass jobs destruction are not justified. In addition, expectations of a deterioration in quality of work as a result of digitalization in the near future are not justified in the case of the translating profession. The present survey results serve as a basis for further research about the impact of artificial intelligence on other creative professions.

Suggested Citation

  • Vassil Kirov & Bagryan Malamin, 2022. "Are Translators Afraid of Artificial Intelligence?," Societies, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-14, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:12:y:2022:i:2:p:70-:d:792371
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gregory, Terry & Salomons, Anna & Zierahn, Ulrich, 2016. "Racing With or Against the Machine? Evidence from Europe," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145843, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    2. Frey, Carl Benedikt & Osborne, Michael A., 2017. "The future of employment: How susceptible are jobs to computerisation?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 254-280.
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    Cited by:

    1. Xinjie Deng & Zhonggen Yu, 2022. "A Systematic Review of Machine-Translation-Assisted Language Learning for Sustainable Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-15, June.
    2. Yang Shen, 2024. "Future jobs: analyzing the impact of artificial intelligence on employment and its mechanisms," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 1-33, April.
    3. Yang Shen & Xiuwu Zhang, 2024. "The impact of artificial intelligence on employment: the role of virtual agglomeration," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.
    4. Alexandra Theben & Nia Plamenova & Ana Freire, 2025. "The “new currency of the future”: a review of literature on the skills needs of the workforce in times of accelerated digitalisation," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 75(1), pages 495-526, February.

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