CFP: Promoting machine translation and GenAI translation literacy: an approach towards professional translation and interpreting labour market

Promoting machine translation and GenAI translation literacy: an 
approach towards professional translation and interpreting labour market

University of Granada, Spain

2-3 June 2026

Call for papers

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:

  	* 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.

  	* 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.

  	* 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

Important dates:

Deadline for Abstracts: 14 April 2026

Notification of Outcome: 30 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 
[1]

-- 
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/e/1FAIpQLSed_1KAdpoho8Ay9m9-DPPhnAdg3Sl0yzWcfea-DufXJR8JhQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=110701021493531381831

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