Promoting machine translation and GenAI translation literacy: an
approach towards professional translation and interpreting labour market
University of Granada, Spain
2-3 June 2026
Deadline: 31 March 2026
The labour market associated with most careers has evolved rapidly in
the recent years, requiring a workforce with extensive digital skills.
The same applies to the current landscape of the translation profession,
which is also being reshaped by the forces of Artificial Intelligence
(AI), digitisation and the applications of Natural Language Processing
(NLP).
Furthermore, recently, the most frequent discussion among academics and
industry revolves around the danger of AI encroaching on the profession
of translators, terminologists and interpreters, putting their job
positions at risk, or even causing the eventual disappearance of
translation careers. Some universities warn of the risk of terminating
translation career paths due to the sharp decline in the number of
students or the demise of translation careers as an independent field of
study. Additionally, the hypothesis that technology is more efficient
than humans in performing translation and interpreting tasks is becoming
a threat itself, leading to a sharp decline in the number of students
enrolled in translation and foreign languages careers worldwide. In most
universities, this panorama is the case in most translation careers, and
Spanish universities are no exception.
One of the solutions to this problem is machine translation literacy,
GenAI literacy and reducing the gap between technological developments
and the technological competencies of translation and interpreting
teachers.
This event aims at offering solutions and training translation and
interpreting teachers in this direction, in a way that they know how to
follow the pace of technology and acquire basic technological notions,
so that they keep up with the high quality teaching, required to keep a
good ranking for their universities, provide excellent teaching to their
students, and be part of the solution to protect translation careers
from a humanistic point of view.
Rationale and objectives
The current landscape of translation education faces a critical
juncture. While the profession is being reshaped by Artificial
Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) technologies,
the velocity of technological advancement has outpaced the capacity of
educators to integrate these tools effectively into their teaching. This
gap manifests in three interconnected problems.
First: Digital literacy deficit
Research on university students' perceptions of GenAI-assisted
translation reveals concerns about declining translation creativity,
independent thinking, and a notable deficiency in digital literacy among
both educators and learners. Many translation educators lack training in
how these tools function, their limitations, and appropriate pedagogical
approaches for teaching with them. The European Association for Machine
Translation's 2024 Translation Education Week emphasized that
transversal skills, particularly AI literacy, data quality assessment,
and communication abilities, are now more crucial than ever in
translator education.
Second: Disconnection between academic training and labour market
realities
While general content translation is increasingly automated, specialized
domains requiring nuanced language skills, cultural adaptation, and
subject-matter expertise remain essential human territories. The
translation industry has transitioned to a hybrid model where Machine
Translation Post-Editing (MTPE) offers 30-50% cost reductions while
maintaining accuracy, yet many graduates lack training in these
workflows. Studies demonstrate that solid grammatical proficiency
combined with MT literacy produces significantly higher quality
translations than either factor alone, highlighting the need for
integrated training approaches.
Third: Insufficient understanding of quality distinctions and ethical
responsibilities
The widespread adoption of tools like Google Translate and DeepL by
professionals and students often occurs with relatively little
reflection, leading to potential risks in high-stakes contexts such as
legal documents, medical translations, or patient forms where errors can
have severe consequences. Educators must develop "MT literacy
consultant" capabilities, the ability to assess when and how MT can be
appropriately deployed, and to advise others on its responsible use.
Objectives
This event addresses these challenges through three core objectives:
1. Bridging the Technological Gap
We will provide practical training in basic MT and GenAI literacies,
equipping educators with foundational understanding of how neural
machine translation, large language models, and generative AI tools
function. This includes hands-on experience with current technologies,
understanding their capabilities and limitations, and learning
pedagogical strategies for integrating them into curricula.
2. Aligning Education with Labour Market Demands
We will present current industry trends and expectations, helping
educators understand the evolution from traditional translation to
AI-augmented workflows. This includes exploring post-editing skills,
quality assessment frameworks, and specialized domain knowledge that
differentiate human expertise from automated output. By understanding
what employers seek, professionals who can work effectively alongside AI
while maintaining quality standards, educators can better prepare
graduates for meaningful careers.
3. Promoting Ethical and Quality-Conscious Practice
We will emphasize the critical importance of understanding translation
quality gradations and the responsibilities associated with different
contexts. This includes teaching students to assess risk levels
(high-stakes vs. low-stakes scenarios), recognize when human expertise
is non-negotiable, and communicate the value of professional translation
to clients and the public. We will also address environmental and social
implications of translation choices, fostering responsible professional
citizenship.
Added Value
The added value of this event lies in its practical, forward-looking
approach. Rather than resisting technological change or uncritically
embracing it, we advocate for informed integration, recognizing AI as a
powerful tool that augments rather than replaces human expertise. By
equipping educators with confidence and competence in these areas, we
strengthen the entire educational ecosystem: better-prepared teachers
lead to better-trained students, who in turn become the skilled
professionals needed in today's translation market.
Furthermore, this initiative contributes to the broader mission of
protecting and promoting translation studies as a vital humanistic
discipline. By demonstrating how translation professionals can thrive in
an AI-enhanced landscape, we empower educators to attract and retain
students with realistic, compelling visions of rewarding careers.
We welcome any contributions related to this timely topic.
Presentation format: Talk (20 mins), non-archival.
Selection for places will be made by the conference scientific committee
(blind peer review).
SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1xrgG09Xnu95cAPQlXTLrSGDste08qKhETQ8vLYN-gYY/edit
[1]
Important dates:
Deadline for Abstracts: 31 March 2026
Notification of Outcome: 15 April 2026
Conference award:
Conference award granted by AIETI, the Iberian Association for
Translation and Interpreting Studies.
No registration fees required but registration is mandatory
Registration form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSed_1KAdpoho8Ay9m9-DPPhnAdg3Sl0yzWcfea-DufXJR8JhQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=110701021493531381831
[2]
--
Amal Haddad Haddad (She/her)
Facultad de Traducción e Interpretación
Universidad de Granada |https://www.ugr.es/personal/amal-haddad-haddad
Lexicon Research Group |http://lexicon.ugr.es/haddad
Co-Convenor, BAAL SIG 'Humans, Machines,
Language'|https://r.jyu.fi/humala
Event Coordinator, BAAL SIG 'Language, Learning and Teaching'
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Links:
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[1]
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1xrgG09Xnu95cAPQlXTLrSGDste08qKhETQ8vLYN-gYY/edit
[2]
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSed_1KAdpoho8Ay9m9-DPPhnAdg3Sl0yzWcfea-DufXJR8JhQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=110701021493531381831
