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rom November 6–8, the European Commission (EC) once again welcomed language professionals to its flagship event, the Translating Europe Forum (TEF). A hallmark of EC’s commitment to multilingualism, TEF underscored the importance of fostering a multilingual European Union (EU) and advancing language professions. This year’s forum took place in Brussels, Belgium, and attracted a diverse mix of academics, freelance specialists, EU language experts, and representatives from both private and nonprofit sectors.
Aligning with its motto, “Words Matter,” the forum emphasized the essential role of translators in navigating the landscape of data, terminology, and technology. A standout keynote by Marina Pantcheva from RWS offered a compelling analogy between artificial intelligence (AI) and human translators, comparing them to Asterix and Obelix from the beloved comic series, Asterix. Here, AI is the powerful yet straightforward Obelix, needing the guidance of Asterix, the nuanced and clever counterpart. Pantcheva stressed that while AI brings immense strength, it lacks the subtlety and critical judgment that only humans provide.
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Pantcheva advocated for viewing translation as an art form — a discipline rich in complexity, well beyond AI’s current capabilities. Translators, she noted, will remain firmly at the helm, guiding and refining the outputs of language AI. Yet, much like pilots in aviation, translators may require specialization as language services become increasingly tech-driven. To stay in the pilot’s seat, today’s translators must adapt, embracing broader skill sets that may include analytics and data literacy.
For many, the choice of translation as a career was a path away from numbers; but in an ironic twist, data and metrics have found their way into the field. As Pantcheva noted, without translators’ nuanced expertise, even the most advanced AI cannot deliver meaningful translations. The message was clear: AI alone cannot replace the art and skill of human translation.
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At TEF, we also heard an update on how AI will be regulated in the EU. The Parliament adopted the Artificial Intelligence Act in March 2024, and the Council followed with its approval in May 2024. This act, which is the first comprehensive legislation aimed at regulating AI, will be fully applicable 24 months after entering into force. The act classifies AI systems into four risk categories: unacceptable risk (banned entirely, such as social scoring systems), high risk (subject to strict oversight, like biometric identification), limited risk (requiring transparency measures, such as chatbot disclosures), and minimal risk (with little to no regulatory requirements, like video games). This legislation aims to ensure AI is used safely and transparently while upholding European values and fundamental rights. It also promotes innovation through initiatives like AI “sandboxes,” allowing companies to test their systems in a controlled environment.
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