University students’ perceptions of using generative AI in translation practices

Abstract The rising application of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools like ChatGPT, Bing Chat, and Bard in language teaching and learning heralds a transformative era. Yet, the experiences and perspectives of university students on integrating these tools into their translation studies remain underexplored. This qualitative study, conducted in a research-intensive, Sino-foreign cooperative university in southern China, explored university students’ perceived benefits and challenges of utilizing GenAI in translation practices, as well as their preferred support mechanisms for addressing encountered issues. Data was collected through open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews and analyzed by using reflexive thematic analysis. Results underscored the advantages of GenAI in enhancing translation efficiency, quality, learning, and practice, fostering a positive outlook and social benefits. Nevertheless, issues such as adequacy, prompt engineering efficacy, practical application, technical limitations, accountability, transparency, and potential AI dependency were noted. Beyond existing self-help strategies, there was an expressed need for additional guidance from educators and institutions. This study enriches our comprehension of how university students perceive and engage with GenAI tools in translation, offering insights for educators and academic institutions to optimize future teaching strategies. It also outlines the study’s limitations and proposes directions for subsequent research.