Despite the emergence of new technologies like AI, the human factor remains essential in translation and interpretation. Emotion, creativity, naturalness, and coherence are characteristics that artificial tools cannot yet fully convey. These aspects were the focus of the debate at the virtual event LinguaMente, organized by the iLingua Research Institute of the University of Vigo.
The conference, featuring three presentations and a round table, focused on translation, interpretation, dubbing, accessibility, and audiodescription, exploring the connections between language, tongues, and cognition from various perspectives (linguistic, social, neurological, and cognitive).
Sofía Sánchez Mompeán, a professor from the Department of Translation and Interpretation at the University of Murcia and a researcher in audiovisual translation, highlighted that while Spain is traditionally a dubbing country, the streaming era and AI are driving synthetic dubbing. Sánchez Mompeán analyzed the quality standards of natural dubbing (synchrony, naturalness, emotion) and compared them with the current capabilities of synthetic voices, noting that while synchrony is controlled, deficiencies persist in emotional expression and prosodic naturalness.
The specialist emphasized that "the voice is not a mere vehicle for transmitting words; it is also an instrument of emotional connection with the viewer." Although AI-powered automatic dubbing offers efficiency and voice cloning, deficiencies in naturalness and emotion mean that human labor remains fundamental, especially in fiction, for conveying emotions and connecting with the original character's performance. Professionals are also needed to evaluate the quality of automatic dubbing.
The second presentation was given by Ana María Rojo López, a professor at the University of Murcia, who addressed the confluence of translation, cognition, and emotion in audiodescription, exploring the cognitive processes and the influence of individual experience in the act of translating.
María José García Vizcaíno, a professor at Montclair State University (MSU), concluded the presentations by focusing on accessibility in painting and sculpture, and audiodescription for the Spanish-speaking visually impaired public.
The LinguaMente2026 conference concluded with a round table titled "Mind, Translation/Interpretation, and Media," which delved into the role of the mind in translating and interpreting art and audiovisual media for people with and without disabilities.
