Braving a new world: Audiovisual translation in the era of artificial intelligence in Cameroon

This study examines the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into Audiovisual Translation (AVT) enhances efficiency, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness in Cameroon, where over 279 indigenous languages alongside English and French challenge content localization. AI-powered tools offer solutions, but concerns about job displacement, ethical issues, data privacy, and cultural misrepresentation persist. This study investigates AI’s influence on AVT practices in Cameroon, focusing on opportunities, challenges, and ethical implications, while proposing recommendations for sustainable integration. Framed by four research questions, it evaluates AI’s impact on translation quality and accessibility, identifies barriers to adoption, assesses ethical concerns, and recommends best practices. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups with AVT professionals, media practitioners, scholars, and students in Buea, selected through purposive sampling. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis reveal that 75% of respondents affirm AI’s efficiency gains, 82% note improved translation quality, and 87.5% report enhanced accessibility. However, 61% cite inaccuracies in cultural nuances, 70.8% express job displacement concerns, and ethical issues like algorithmic bias (25%) and data privacy (20%) remain. Recommendations include targeted training, collaborative AI development, human oversight, and ethical guidelines. The study contributes to AVT literature by providing empirical evidence on AI’s role in Cameroon’s multilingual context, emphasizing culturally sensitive models and regulatory enhancements.