THE IMPACT OF AI-POWERED TRANSLATION ON LANGUAGE PRESERVATION AND EVOLUTION

Abstract

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered translation tools has significantly impacted various domains, including language preservation and evolution. AI-based systems, such as neural machine translation (NMT) and natural language processing (NLP), offer unprecedented capabilities in translating languages with high accuracy and efficiency. This paper explores the influence of AI-powered translation on the preservation of endangered languages and the ongoing evolution of language structures. On one hand, AI tools aid in documenting and revitalizing languages at risk of extinction by providing real-time translation and learning models that can adapt to dialects and regional variations. On the other hand, the widespread use of AI translation could also lead to homogenization of languages, with dominant global languages potentially overshadowing smaller or regional languages. This paper analyzes both positive and negative impacts, drawing on case studies and data from AI translation applications across various linguistic communities. The findings highlight the potential of AI-powered translation in preserving linguistic diversity while also raising concerns about the future trajectory of language evolution in the digital age.