The Impact of Translation Technology on the Translation Process: Rethinking, Researching, and Innovating in the VUCA Era

Translation and technology have been evolving in parallel in the past few decades, and the pace of change has accelerated in the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) era. This paper explores the latest trends, research, and innovation in translation and technology in the VUCA era. It covers topics such as neural machine translation, quality evaluation, terminology management, post-editing, crowdsourcing, and ethical issues. It also examines how the translation industry is adapting to the VUCA environment by enhancing collaboration, agility, resilience, and customer-centricity. The research methodology was a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods. The research included a literature review of the current trends and developments in translation technology and a survey of translation professionals to gather data on the use and effectiveness of translation technology in their work. Additionally, interviews were conducted with translation professionals to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of translation technology on their work. The outcomes of the research included a better understanding of the impact of translation technology on the translation process and the challenges and opportunities for translation professionals in the VUCA era. Additionally, the research provided insights into the effectiveness of translation technology, including the use of machine translation and post-editing, in improving translation quality. The findings of the research would be useful for translation professionals, translation technology developers, and organizations that require translation services. The paper concluded by highlighting the importance of continuous learning, experimentation, and ethical reflection for translation professionals in the age of technology.