Book review

Review of Sanjun Sun, Kanglong Liu & Riccardo Moratto. Translation Studies in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Abingdon and New York: Routledge, 2025. xv + 252 pp.

Technology has long been intertwined with the development of the field of translation. From the invention of early writing systems to the rise of computer-aided translation (CAT) tools, each stage of innovation has redefined both professional practice and theoretical debate. The arrival of artificial intelligence (AI) — most visibly in the form of large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT — represents a sharper break with previous traditions. Translation Studies in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, edited by Sanjun Sun, Kanglong Liu, and Riccardo Moratto, addresses this turning point with a collection that examines not only the opportunities AI creates but also the challenges it poses for the discipline. The volume brings together diverse contributions that map current transformations while offering critical perspectives on the future of Translation Studies (TS). Recent scholarship (e.g., Kenny 2022) has already suggested that AI-driven translation extends beyond a technological shift to a broader cultural reconfiguration, and this volume situates itself directly in the debate of how translation should be defined and studied. The volume’s coherence derives from a combination of carefully organized chapters, empirical studies, and theoretically informed discussions, all of which build a picture of TS in the AI era that is both critical and forward-looking.