More and more users and businesses are applying AI tools in translation and interpretation - Photo: QUANG DINH
Many companies are reducing the recruitment of interpreters or reducing foreign language requirements. Meeting with foreign partners, instead of having to hire an interpreter or find the company's best English speaker, now AI assistants are always available, completely free.
Easy to talk in many languages
As a start-up providing digital transformation services, Tanca.io often has to meet with foreign partners. Mr. Tran Viet Quan, founder and chairman of Tanca.io, said: "Before each meeting with foreign partners, we often have a hard time because only a few people communicate well in English. At that time, the speaker also has to translate, which is both time-consuming and affects the quality of the meeting.
For many important meetings or when our partners do not speak English well, we have to hire an interpreter. The cost is not small for a start-up when having to hold regular meetings, and it also depends on the interpreter's schedule."
Now Mr. Quan has applied AI to support translation. Online meeting platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams integrate AI for real-time translation. For offline meetings (in person), devices such as AI headphones (Google Pixel Buds) also allow direct translation, supporting basic communication so there is no need for an interpreter.
"In fact, we speak Vietnamese that customers still understand, making it much easier to access foreign markets than before," said Mr. Quan.
The CEO of another tech company also said that he recently had to meet many investors and partners from Japan, Korea and Hong Kong. Although this CEO's English is very good, he still had to use AI to translate because many partners use local languages. "I find it very interesting because the AI assistant translates very well," the CEO shared.
According to Tuoi Tre 's research , if in the past popular tools like Google only supported text translation, now AI tools and integrated AI features support conversation translation.
Recently, at the Google I/O 2025 event, Google introduced a real-time voice translation feature, using a large audio language model from Google DeepMind to preserve the voice, helping users speak naturally in their native language but the partner hears it in their language but with the speaker's tone...
Many individuals and businesses in Vietnam said they have been testing AI translation assistants and have plans to use them extensively to increase convenience and reduce costs.
AI Assists But Still Needs Learning
Sharing with Tuoi Tre , Mr. Ton Quang Thanh, director of Quang Thanh Foreign Language Center ( Ba Ria - Vung Tau ), said that he had recently tried using AI technology, and said "I was really surprised by its capabilities". In addition to foreign language training, Mr. Thanh also uses AI to build lesson plans, 1-1 conversations, and personalize learning for students.
According to Mr. Thanh, AI cannot replace teachers or interpreters. "Learning a foreign language is not just for simple communication, but also for learning culture, learning how to become confident, and mastering the language. As AI develops, foreign language learners will have more opportunities to practice at lower costs," Mr. Thanh stated his opinion.
Some other opinions say that AI will progress very quickly, so translation will also become smoother, even on difficult topics.
According to Ms. Hoang Huong, CEO of Unikon Technology Company, advances in AI - especially large language models (LLM), speech recognition technology (ASR) and speech synthesis (TTS) - have helped machines understand, translate and respond in natural language very accurately.
This poses a challenge for jobs like interpreters and language teachers. But this is not the end of language learning, but a reminder thateducation must adapt.
According to Ms. Huong, in the future, learning a foreign language will no longer be just for basic communication because machines and technology can support very well. Instead, language learning needs to be enhanced to help students gain a deeper understanding of culture, language thinking and intercultural communication skills - things that machines can hardly replace.
Similarly, Mr. Tran Viet Quan also said that although AI has made many miraculous advances, it still has difficulty grasping cultural nuances or complex contexts, such as business negotiations or political speeches.
"Although AI is replacing humans in repetitive tasks, the role of translators and interpreters is still important in fields that require cultural sensitivity and creativity, such as literary or diplomatic translation," Mr. Quan commented.
Change to adapt
Sharing with Tuoi Tre , Ms. Hoang Huong said that to ensure employment, people with foreign language expertise and the education and training system need to shift in three main directions.
The first is to focus on cultural depth and linguistic thinking: learning a foreign language is not just about speaking, but about understanding how native speakers think, feel and express themselves.
The second is to incorporate AI, which should be viewed as a supporting tool rather than a competitor. For example, classrooms can use AI to practice pronunciation, simulate communication situations, or do more advanced translation exercises.
Third, there is a need for thorough training in language technology skills. Interpreters and students need to be equipped with skills in using translation tools, searching for information, and communicating in multiple languages using technology.
"We need to change and adapt in a way that has the depth of connection that only humans can do," Ms. Huong stated her opinion.
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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dung-ai-thay-phien-dich-vien-20250602075032772.htm
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