Poll: Where do you stand on using AI for literary translation? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Where do you stand on using AI for literary translation?".
View the poll results »
| | | | | Strictly human art | Sep 18 |
I’ve never translated literature (except for some children books) and I am an avid reader. If I happen to know that a book was translated using AI, I will not buy it. It’s disrespectful to the author and shouldn’t be allowed. Literature is strictly human art!
| | | | Thayenga 
Germany
Local time: 15:07
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
I have translated literature before. Therefore, I know that there is one thing AI can never be trained to learn, and that is to read between the lines, to catch the various emotions or conflicts, and translate them so that the reader will end up feeling the same way about the book/story that the one did who read the original. There is - and never will be - no such thing as AE = Artificial Emotions.
[Edited at 2026-09-18 15:27 GMT]
| | | | | AI for literary translation??? | Sep 18 |
Of course. Let AI read the book, translate it, edit it, publish it, write the author's biography, give itself five stars and then interview itself about the creative process. 😂
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| To be or not to be | Sep 19 |
expressisverbis wrote:
Of course. Let AI read the book, translate it, edit it, publish it, write the author's biography, give itself five stars and then interview itself about the creative process. 😂
Sandra is being ironic of course, but I agree that this kind of thing is still some way away.
I've gone on record saying that I think AI will replace human translators for most routine jobs within the next two years. For literary translations that will take longer - maybe five years. By then, AI will be able to do a competent job of translating almost all mass-produced fiction.
There will remain some niche jobs, in both business and literary translation, that will require the human touch.
In the meantime, I see nothing wrong with using AI/MT for transcription of a rough draft, prior to doing the creative work of producing a polished final translation.
| | | | Runak Qyser
Iraq
New user
English to Judeo-Arabic
+ ...
I believe AI can support literary translation, but it cannot replace the human translator. Literary translation requires understanding emotion, context, culture, and style—elements that still depend on human interpretation. AI can assist with the first draft, but the final work should remain human-led.
| | | | Runak Qyser
Iraq
New user
English to Judeo-Arabic
+ ...
I believe AI can support literary translation, but it cannot replace the human translator. Literary translation requires understanding emotion, context, culture, and style—elements that still depend on human interpretation. AI can assist with the first draft, but the final work should remain human-led.
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 15:07
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| Don't give them any ideas | Sep 19 |
expressisverbis wrote:
Of course. Let AI read the book, translate it, edit it, publish it, write the author's biography, give itself five stars and then interview itself about the creative process. 😂
First, thank you for the smile.
Hopefully, none of the tech bosses reads your post. You never know with what ideas they might come up with. One day your scenario just might become reality... in another century or two. 😂
[Edited at 2026-09-19 09:03 GMT]
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