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Russell Scott Valentino will consider translation as a cultivated practice of judgment and ask what becomes visible when prediction meets judgment, speed meets productive delay, and AI encounters longstanding human practices. His talk will be followed by a “reverse town hall,” inviting those present to contribute examples and questions from their own practices.

Lunch will be provided, and translators are especially encouraged to attend and take part in the conversation. Please RSVP to Lynette Williams at lynette-williams@uiowa.edu to reserve your lunch.

Generative AI can now produce fluent translations in seconds. What does this fact tell us about translation, and what might translation tell us about AI? Drawing on literary translation, interpreting, teaching, and recent experiments with AI-assisted humanities research, Russell Scott Valentino considers translation as a cultivated practice of judgment: one learned through experience, embodied participation, and engagement with other practitioners and audiences. Through anecdotes, examples, and key historical episodes, he explores what happens when prediction meets judgment, speed meets productive delay, and new technologies make long-standing human practices newly visible. A “reverse town hall” conversation will follow, inviting participants to bring examples and questions from their own practice and their encounters with AI, translation, and other forms of creative and intellectual work.

Take a break from midterms and join us for a free coffee, a creative activity, and conversation with staff from the University Counseling Service (UCS).