Speaker
Alison RODRIGUEZ, International Federation of Translators
Title
Finding the Balance: Building a Sustainable Future in the Face of Global Challenges
Abstract
Added to the rising expectations and tensions around the growing adoption and integration of AI technology in the translation industry, there is now an added layer of political and social volatility. These factors further complicate the challenges and opportunities translators face in navigating the complexities of diverse cultures, languages, and communication styles. In today’s digital age, translation plays a critical role in connecting communities and nations, fostering cross-cultural understanding, and building empathy. While it’s hard to imagine a future without this essential, transformative work, and despite media hype suggesting that technology can replace it, we know the reality is that high-stakes translation cannot be outsourced entirely to machines. This presentation explores recent challenges as both the profession and the world around it evolve and a sustainable future for the translation profession hinges on the ability to balance technological innovation with cultural sensitivity and relevance, balancing human and technology in order to solve real-world problems that humans care about.
About the speaker
Alison is President of the Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs (FIT). A linguist and translator in legal, human rights and technical fields, she has diverse experience in strategy, policy and promotion of the arts. She is known for her strong advocacy of multilingualism, multilateralism, and cultural and linguistic diversity and, with particular focus on indigenous language revitalisation, association development and building a sustainable profession. Alison also has an interest in the ethics of AI, and in promoting International Translation Day, each 30 September, the Feast of St Jerome, as the premier day to celebrate the work of translators, interpreters and terminologists.