AI is changing how we translate. But does faster mean fairer?
In this talk, Gabriel Fairman explores one of the biggest questions facing our industry: Is AI making things better—or just cheaper?
Let’s unpack it.
Morals vs. Ethics: What’s the Difference?
Before diving into AI, Gabriel explains a key difference:
“When I think about morality, I’m thinking about good and evil. Ethics is more about what benefits the greater good.”
Morals are about what’s right or wrong.
Ethics are about what helps the most people.
When we talk about AI translation, we need to think ethically, not just morally.
AI Makes Us Faster—A Lot Faster
AI tools like machine translation and platforms like Bureau Works are speeding things up:
“I translated a 626-word marketing page in 20 minutes. The effective word count was 134. That’s one-fifth of the effort.”
That’s not a small improvement. That’s massive.
And with those numbers, translators can now produce:
- 1,500 to 2,000 words per hour
- Up to 16,000 words per day
That’s 5x the traditional daily output of 3,000 words.
The Ethical Dilemma: Pay vs. Productivity
Here’s where it gets tricky. If translators work faster, should they earn less per word?
“Now they’re delivering 12 to 16,000 words a day with the same $720. That means their per-word rate is going down.”
It’s a big problem:
- Translators get paid by the word.
- AI boosts productivity.
- But rates haven’t caught up.
This means translators might be doing more work for the same pay—or even less.
“Even if you pay them hourly, the value of each word drops. Is that ethical?”
Lower Costs, Higher Access?
There is a flip side. Lower costs can mean more access.
“Now a company that couldn’t afford $100,000 for translation might enter a market with $5,000.”
That opens doors. More content gets translated. More people get access to important information. AI could help us:
- Expand into new markets
- Translate content we never could before
- Make language more accessible for everyone
From that perspective, lower costs might actually be ethical—if they increase global access and opportunity.
But What About the Translators?
There’s still risk. If rates fall and volume doesn’t rise enough, translators suffer.
“If you’re pressured to work for less, that’s terrifying... It’s anguishing.”
Gabriel makes it clear: this isn’t about condoning pay cuts.
It’s about facing a hard truth—change is here, and we need to respond thoughtfully.
The Risk of Standing Still
Some translators want to ignore AI. But that comes with risk.
“If you're outputting 2,500 words a day, and someone else is doing 16,000 with similar quality—you won’t be relevant for much longer.”
It’s a harsh reality. But it’s true.
Gabriel’s advice?
- Be flexible
- Keep learning
- Take risks
“More flexibility means less pain. More rigidity means more pain.”
The System Hasn’t Caught Up
Another issue is structure. Industry norms and contracts are outdated.
“Most contracts were built 20 years ago. Machine translation was seen as taboo. Now, it’s a must.”
We need updated norms that reflect today’s tools. Without them, the system lags behind the tech.
So—Is It Ethical?
Gabriel’s answer: It depends.
“I could make the argument that AI is incredibly ethical. I could also make the argument that it’s incredibly unethical.”
What matters is how we use it.
If AI helps people live better lives, work smarter, and reach new markets—that’s good.
If it hurts people, drives down wages, and excludes talent—that’s bad.
Ethics isn’t black or white. It’s about choices, impact, and context.
Final Thoughts: Let’s Stay Open
This moment is complex. There’s no perfect answer. But Gabriel leaves us with a simple idea:
“The only thing we can really rely on is each other, intuition, and dialogue.”
We need to talk, listen, and stay open to change.
Because AI isn’t just changing translation. It’s changing everything.
And our future depends on how we choose to respond.
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