Doha: The Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding (SHATIU) recently organized a symposium focusing on the intersections of translation and artificial intelligence. The event attracted academics, researchers, and specialists in fields such as translation, computational linguistics, and intelligent technologies, along with a broad spectrum of experts and interested participants.
According to Qatar News Agency, the symposium was part of a series of cultural activities accompanying the 11th SHATIU awards ceremony. The discussions aimed to explore the impact of rapid AI advancements on the future of translation and to identify opportunities that smart tools can provide to translators. These discussions also addressed the challenges posed by these technological changes within the Arab context regarding knowledge, culture, and academia.
Dr. Mustafa Jarrar, Professor of Artificial Intelligence at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, discussed open-source Arabic lexicons and intelligent tools that aid in translation and Arabization. His presentation covered various tools, including lexical-search engines, computational lexicons, Arabic ontologies, and wordnets, as well as resources for morphological and semantic analysis, synonym extraction, and NLP-driven lexical services.
Dr. Ghassan Murad, a researcher in computational linguistics and artificial intelligence, presented on the gaps in knowledge and academia within the Arab digital landscape. He examined the limitations faced by Arabic digital content in comparison to the number of native speakers and its implications on education, translation, and research. Dr. Murad emphasized the need for developing scientific and technical translation pathways to address knowledge equity gaps and enhance AI systems with quality data.
The symposium concluded with a presentation by Abdel Haq Zemouri, Director-General of the Abaad Foundation for Future Studies in Washington. He discussed the philosophical and cultural challenges of AI in translation, particularly focusing on the limitations of automated models in conveying deep meanings and cultural nuances. Zemouri highlighted the essential role of human translators in maintaining the accuracy and vibrancy of texts.
SHATIU emphasized that the symposium was part of its mission to promote intercultural understanding through translation and to explore new possibilities for Arabic translation in the digital age.