What’s Going On in Our Field?
Fall 2026

By: Julli Jaramillo

A few months ago, I wrote about some of the changes happening across interpreting and translation, What’s Going On in Our Field Right Now?  AI was showing up in new places, courts were dealing with interpreter shortages, remote interpreting was becoming part of the structure, and we were asking what all of this might mean for our work.

I've kept watching.

Here are a few things that caught my attention and that I wanted to share with our community.

AI Is Already Changing the Work

The AI conversation is getting more interesting too.

A recent study comparing human-first and AI-first translation workflows found that the AI-first group worked faster, but the human-first group performed better in adequacy and overall quality. The AI-first group also made more harmful edits.

That's a much more useful conversation than simply asking whether AI will replace translators.

If AI makes the work faster, but puts the professional in the position of finding and correcting its mistakes, what are we actually gaining?

There is also another side of AI that deserves our attention.

Recent reporting on LanguageLine interpreters looks at how AI-powered workforce management is affecting the humans doing the work. Interpreters described heavier workloads, unpredictable scheduling, and very little time between calls.

AI doesn't have to replace the interpreter to change the job.

Other Countries Are Asking These Questions Too

Canada recently gave us one answer about AI and responsibility.

The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada issued a practice notice covering documents produced or translated using AI. Parties can use those tools, but they remain responsible for the accuracy of what they submit.

That brings me right back to one of the questions from my last update:

If AI gets something wrong, who is responsible?

In this case, Canada has made its answer clear. The human submitting it is.

Meanwhile, Australia is dealing with its own interpreter workforce challenges.

Recent reporting on Australia’s shortage of accredited Auslan interpreters described court proceedings being delayed when interpreters could not be secured. Deaf Australia has also raised concerns about courts using video interpreting in situations where face-to-face interpreting would be more appropriate.

Different countries, familiar questions: Do we have enough qualified interpreters, and when resources are limited, what does meaningful language access actually look like?

So, What Are You Seeing?

There is a lot happening in our field, and not all of it is moving in the same direction.

Courts are recruiting interpreters while interpreters are pushing back over compensation and working conditions. Remote interpreting is becoming part of how systems respond when resources are stretched. AI is changing translation workflows, and in some workplaces, it is changing how human interpreters are managed.

I'm going to keep my eye on things as we enter the fourth quarter of the year. If the last few months are any indication, there will be plenty to watch. 

But I'm also interested in what you are seeing.

What is happening in your court, state, country, or area of practice? What update have you come across that the rest of us should know about?

Share it with us below.

Keep the Conversation Going

If this topic resonated with you, be sure to check out our previous blog posts for more insights on the realities of our profession, and the evolving world of judiciary translation and interpreting:

When Preparation Is a Matter of Respect: Interpreting Victim Impact Statements — What happens when preparation becomes not just part of the job, but a matter of respect?

Do Not Judge Lest You Be Judged — What can we do to make sure practitioners have access to the needed information to establish fees that work for them?

The 99% Show Rate: How Process and Relationships Solve the No-Show Problem

What processes and relationships can help agencies and interpreters prevent no-shows?   

Confidential vs Privileged: Is There A Difference?  — When can an interpreter be required to disclose confidential or privileged information?

You can find these and more in our blog archives!

Interested in sharing your insights with our community? 

Check out Writing for The NAJIT Observer to learn how you can contribute.

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position, policies, or views of the NAJIT Board of Directors or the organization as a whole. Content published in The NAJIT Observer is intended to encourage professional dialogue, reflection, and community engagement. Reader discretion is advised where topics may involve complex ethical, professional, or emotionally sensitive subject matter.

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