Harlequin’s French division is reportedly transitioning to AI-generated translation, according to a letter published by The French Literary Translators Association (ATLF) and the collective En Chair et en Os (In Flesh and Bone: For Human Translation).
According to the letter to members, “for the past few weeks, dozens of translators who regularly work with Harlequin (HarperCollins France) have been receiving phone calls informing them that their collaboration with the publishing house is ending” and that “their current contracts will be their last”.
The letter states that communications agency Fluent Planet will henceforward handle “running the texts through machine translation software and directly recruit freelance proofreaders to post-edit the machine-generated French output”.
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The letter goes on to describe the move as “unacceptable”. “These practices are a betrayal of book workers, but also a betrayal of readers. They completely devalue the translation industry, showing contempt for both translators and readers,” it states.
“They set in motion a downward spiral of publishing quality, driven by a harmful ‘good enough’ mentality that robs book workers of their expertise and creativity, and deprives readers of access to vibrant and humane literature.”
Author Tiffany McDaniel shared the news on Instagram and advised authors to push for “no AI” clauses in their contracts. “Translators are writers and we have to protect each other,” she said, adding: “Romance may be the first genre targeted, but it won’t be the last.”
The Bookseller has contacted Harlequin France and Fluent Planet for comment.