A third of translators report losing work due to AI

In the UK, a survey of members of the Society of Authors (SoA) has found a quarter of illustrators (26%) and over a third of translators (36%) have lost work due to generative AI, reports BookBrunch and the Bookseller.

The survey of 787 SoA members included responses from writers of fiction and nonfiction, scriptwriters and poets, as well as journalists, illustrators and translators. It found that over a third of translators (37%) had already used generative AI in their work, while only 12% of illustrators had done so. A fifth of fiction writers (20%) and around a quarter of nonfiction writers (25%) reported using AI in their work, while 31% of illustrators and writers said they have used generative AI for brainstorming ideas.

The survey also found almost two-thirds of fiction writers, over half of nonfiction writers and almost three-quarters of both translators and illustrators believe generative AI will negatively impact their future income.

Almost all respondents (94%) want credit and compensation and to be asked for consent when their work is used to develop generative AI systems or to enable AI-generated output, 95% call for the government to introduce safeguards and regulation, and 97% believe consumers ‘deserve transparency and should be made aware when generative AI systems have generated all or a portion of what they are reading, viewing or hearing’.

‘The generative AI landscape has evolved fast,’ said chair of the Creators’ Rights Alliance and outgoing SoA chief executive Nicola Solomon. ‘Two years ago, these were niche systems but they have quickly become global, mass-market products. We raised concerns then about the possible future impact on creative careers. Today, that impact is already felt acutely by more and more creators—from translators and illustrators to journalists and educational writers … it is not too late to ensure that it is developed and used ethically, and within existing copyright frameworks. Once the world moves beyond the wow factor of each new system release, generative AI must remain a tool to support and enhance human-made creative work, not a cheap alternative to replace it.’

Category: International news