VietTESOL International Convention 2026

Rapid development of AI-driven translation tools are reshaping how translation is taught and practiced, creating both opportunities and uncertainties for translator training. This study explores English?majored undergraduates’ perspectives on the benefits and challenges of AI for translation learning and practice, and on what they need to prepare for their future career. Using a mixed?methods design, the study surveyed 120 English?major students at a public university in northern Vietnam, then conducted in?depth interviews with 15 voluntary participants. Results show that these participants perceived two prominent opportunities related to increased productivity through AI-assisted drafting and greater access to multilingual resources for learning and comparative analysis. In terms of challenges, they showed their concerns about accuracy and nuance loss, worried that AI might reduce translation jobs and change what it means to be a professional translator, and overreliance on AI tools that may hinder linguistic and cultural competence. Also, the students recommended future readiness in three areas: developing post?editing and tool?management skills, strengthening deep linguistic and intercultural competence, and cultivating critical evaluation and ethical awareness when using AI tools. Implications for translation pedagogy include integrating AI tools into curricula with targeted training on post?editing and quality assessment, redesigning assessments to value translation skills, and offering career guidance that balances technological literacy with language and cultural competency.

Keywords: AI- powered translation tools, undergraduates’ perspectives on AI tools, challenges and opportunities for translation