FIT Position Paper on Machine Translation in the Age of AI
Introduction
In August 2019, the International Federation of Translators (FIT), the voice of associations of translators, terminologists and interpreters around the world, published a position paper on Machine Translation (MT) to draw attention to the consequences of using MT both for the users and for professional translators.
Since then, the landscape of MT has evolved dramatically with the advent of generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and, in particular, large language models (LLMs). What was once an industry dominated by rule-based and statistical approaches has been transformed by AI technologies like neural networks and transformer architectures. FIT is committed to reflecting these developments and providing insights into the impacts, opportunities, and challenges these advancements bring to the translation profession.
For the purposes of this position paper, when we use “MT” we refer to neural machine translation, translation-prompted GenAI, or any other automatic system for translation.
FIT has thought it appropriate to revisit that paper and shed new light on the topic. This position paper then aims to provide an updated perspective on machine translation, focusing on the profound effects of AI-driven technologies, evolving quality assessment practices, ethical considerations, and the implications for professional translators and their associations. This paper is primarily intended for translation professionals, and organizations that rely on translation services.
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Source : www.fit-ift.org