Translation in the Age of AI: Insights from Palestinian Professional Translators

Abstract

Abstract With the increasing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in many fields, including translation, understanding how professional translators adopt and experience these tools has become a pressing need, particularly in under-researched contexts such as Palestine. This study examines the use of AI-powered machine translation tools by Palestinian professional translators in their translation tasks. It mainly addresses the extent to which Palestinian translators use AI-powered translation tools and how they perceive these tools in terms of their advantages, challenges, cultural meaning, and ethical considerations. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through a questionnaire distributed to translators and in-depth interviews conducted with experienced practitioners. The questionnaire gathered 86 responses from professional translators working in Palestine. The interviews were conducted with seven professional translators who were purposefully selected based on their level of experience and the nature of their work. The results revealed that AI-powered machine translation tools are widely used among translators, with 83.7% of respondents reporting regular use. The findings also revealed that while these tools enhance speed and efficiency, translators exercise cautious trust and emphasize human revision to maintain linguistic accuracy, cultural relevance, and ethical standards. This study contributes to Translation Studies by providing empirical evidence on AI adoption in professional practice, highlighting practical implications for translator training and workflow integration of AI tools, and informing future research on the evolving role of AI in the translation industry.