Artificial

Intelligence

Can Chat GPT improve Conference Interpreters’ work?

Future

Photo by Yuyang Liu

Discover how this innovative tool can help interpreters master their craft.

Conference interpreting is a challenging task that requires meticulous preparation. A conference interpreter must be able to translate technical and specialised language from a wide range of fields, such as medicine, technology, or economics, among many others. It also accurately conveys to a multilingual audience in real time. In this context, artificial intelligence (AI) technology such as Chat GPT can be a valuable tool for conference interpreters.

For those who may not know, Chat GPT is an artificial language model designed by the company Open AI that can generate human-like responses to a wide variety of topics. Using deep learning techniques and a vast amount of data, Chat GPT can understand the context of the conversation and respond with relevant, coherent and cohesive information.

OpenAI

First of all, Chat GPT can help the interpreter understand the context and vocabulary of the conference topic. The interpreter can input the main topic of the conference into Chat GPT and obtain a detailed description of it, including technical and specialised terms that are likely to be used during the presentations. This will enable the interpreter to be prepared and have a solid understanding of the conference topic.

In addition, Chat GPT can help the interpreter create glossaries of specialised terms. By inputting a list of technical terms related to the conference topic into Chat GPT, the program can generate accurate definitions of these terms, allowing the interpreter to understand and translate more accurately during the event. Moreover, during the conference itself, the interpreter can use Chat GPT as a support tool to produce faster and more accurate translations. For example, if the speaker uses a word or phrase that the interpreter does not understand, such as famous quotes or verses from a poem, the interpreter can input the passage into Chat GPT and receive an instant and appropriate translation.

To do this, you simply need to type into the chat: “Can you translate this text/phrase into Spanish?” And the program will respond with something like: “Yes, I can translate texts into Spanish. Please provide the text you want to translate, and I will be happy to help.” Then, you should write the text/phrase you want to translate, and that’s it! Additionally, there is no need to repeat this process every time you want to translate something, as it will translate what you type in the chat until you ask it to do something else. This can be especially useful for technical terminology or specialised jargon.

Furthermore, Chat GPT can help the interpreter prepare for possible script changes that may arise during the conference in the speakers’ speeches as well as for the Q&A sessions. During the pre-preparation task, the interpreter can ask the chat to provide a list of the possible FAQs related to the conference topic and obtain detailed, accurate, and appropriate responses, which will help expand knowledge beyond the reference material received and be more prepared for the audience’s questions. This will allow the interpreter to prevent unexpected issues, mismatches throughout the course of the conference, and be prepared to ensure effective interpretation at all times.

Example of Chat GPT operating

In conclusion, Chat GPT can be a very useful tool for conference interpreters, allowing them to prepare more efficiently and thoroughly for the events they will interpret while reducing the time and energy needed.

Post scriptum:

As supporting evidence, this very post was (almost) entirely generated by Chat GPT.

However, it is worth mentioning that not everything is acceptable and that the confidentiality agreement should always be kept in mind; when something is uploaded on the Internet, it is no longer 100% confidential. According to our fellow interpreter, Josh Goldsmith, head of the techforwordwebsite, there are other highly recommended and more reliable AI tools such as Readwise Reader or Notion AI, which he refers to in this interesting vídeo. Be that as it may, technology is here to stay, so we better know how to use it to make it a good ally.