Publication Details
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool of literary translation is a most fascinating question in contemporary translation studies: Are translations {output} from AI inputs legitimate {valid} literature? Traditional literary translation has been held in esteem as a creative and interpretive act in which human translators are not only linguistic intermediaries but co-creators (s) of the work itself. The AI programs, in contrast, are built to yield translations in quantities, optimizing accuracy, cohesiveness, and swiftness. The discussion revolves, then, around whether such translations could never have subtlety, aesthetic value, and cultural significance that enable a text to qualify as "literature."
This piece explores the authenticity of literary translations generated by artificial intelligence by examining theoretical approaches to authorship, creativity, and reception. Through an analysis of case studies including poetry, prose, and digital hybrid work, it compares and contrasts products generated by humans and AI to consider questions of style, voice, and reception. The findings suggest that, if AI-generated translations are increasingly capable of reproducing surface-level accuracy, they struggle to master metaphor, indirection, and cultural reference—the very aspects that are fundamental to literary value.