By Kaori Myatt

Recently, I have noticed something interesting… Many professionals who once proudly described themselves as ‘translators’ are now calling themselves ‘localisation specialists’, ‘linguists’, ‘language strategists’, ‘content specialists’, ‘SEO writers’, and even ‘AI language experts’ and ‘AI annotators’. Of course, rebranding is not inherently wrong. In fact, in some cases, it can help communicate the real value of what we do.

Why are translators rebranding themselves?

It’s easy to understand why. Because in 2026, when you talk about a ’translator’, many people might think of a tool. Not a human. People no longer imagine a professional with linguistic expertise translating a document, but rather an app on their phone, a button in a browser, or an AI platform. Digital translation tools are now embedded everywhere, from search engines and messaging apps to browsers and enterprise software. For many users, translation has become instant, invisible and free. This technological shift has created a perception that translation is simply a feature of software.

Are we erasing the identity of the translation profession?

That raises an important question for our industry: Is dropping the word ‘translator’ a smart move, or are we erasing the identity of our profession?

Beyond basic translation, our work often involves localisation strategy, terminology management, content adaptation, cultural consulting, multilingual SEO, AI-assisted workflows and evaluating machine translations for quality. In that sense, titles such as ‘localisation specialist’ or ‘language consultant’ may better reflect the broader scope of our work.

What about human expertise?

However, there is also a risk. When professionals stop using the word ‘translator’, the market may start assuming that translation itself no longer requires human expertise. One of the reasons the word ‘translator’ may sound simplistic today is that many people still consider translation to be little more than converting words from Language A into Language B.

But, as any professional translator will know, our job is rarely that simple. We’re required to make decisions that go far beyond language equivalence. We decide what should and shouldn't be translated, adapt content so that it remains culturally appropriate for the target audience, identify ambiguities or inconsistencies in the source and target text, protect brand tone and messaging across languages, and advise clients on how their content will be interpreted in different markets.

Translators as the final safeguard

In many situations, translators act as the final safeguard before information and ideas cross borders. When translations fail, the consequences can be serious, ranging from regulatory problems and product misunderstandings to reputational damage or even health and safety risks.

Part of the challenge is that the public perception of translation has changed faster than the profession itself. With that mindset, the word ‘translator’ risks being interpreted in the same way as words such as ‘calculator’ or ‘spell-checker’: a tool rather than a profession. This creates a dilemma. If professionals abandon the term ‘translator’, we may unintentionally reinforce the idea that translation is, and can be, fully automated. But if we continue using the term without explaining what it truly involves, we risk being misunderstood.

What will ‘translator’ mean in the future?

Ultimately, the question may not be whether we should stop calling ourselves translators, but rather who gets to define what ‘translator’ means in the future. If we continue to describe ourselves as ‘translators’,  it is only by clearly communicating our expertise and responsibilities that we can help shape the meaning of the word.

The importance of human expertise

Despite the rapid development of AI and machine translation, the need for human expertise in multilingual communication remains. If anything, global communication is becoming more complex. Organisations must navigate multiple languages, cultures, regulatory frameworks and markets simultaneously - and they need professionals who understand not only language but also context and nuance.

This is where skilled translators continue to play a crucial role. Perhaps the real challenge today is not to stop being translators, but to show the world what translators actually do. Because if we do not define the meaning of the word for ourselves, the machines will do it for us.

Kaori Myatt, MCIL and Chartered Linguist, is a lifelong translator and Managing Director of Word Connection (www.word-connection.com) , an ISO-certified language services company serving global clients.

Views expressed on CIOL Voices are those of the writer and may not represent those of the wider membership or CIOL.