AI Killed My Job: Translators
14 days ago
- #AI Impact
- #Job Displacement
- #Translation Industry
- AI has significantly impacted the translation industry, leading to plummeting rates and drying up work.
- Microsoft's 2025 study ranked translators and interpreters as the most vulnerable to AI replacement.
- Translators report dramatic income drops, with many considering career changes or facing bankruptcy.
- Game localizers, especially in Chinese mobile games, are seeing increased reliance on AI and reduced human roles.
- Generative AI hasn't revolutionized translation quality but has allowed businesses to justify cost-cutting measures.
- Post-editing machine translations (MTPE) pays significantly less than traditional translation work.
- Translators argue that AI lacks the nuance and cultural understanding required for high-quality translations.
- Initiatives like Translators Against the Machine are organizing to push back against AI's encroachment.
- Many translators are forced to reskill or accept lower-paying jobs, facing financial instability.
- AI's impact extends beyond translation, flattening cultural exchanges and reducing the quality of multilingual content.