Interpreters and Translators
Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.
52,060 people do this job in the US. $60,170 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 95%
- 3%
- 2%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 1%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 47%. Today's estimate: 54%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 17 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adapt software and accompanying technical documents to another language and culture.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 28% | 2.1 work days3.3 h to 1.7 work weeks | 1%Half by Sep 2028 | |
| Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible.Done hourly or more by most who do it. AI observed on this task. | 12% | 50 min25 min to 3.3 h | 89%Half by now | |
| Compile terminology and information to be used in translations, including technical terms such as those for legal or medical material.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 10% | 1.7 h25 min to 4.2 h | 57%Half by now | |
| Listen to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 7% | 38 min13 min to 2.5 h | 86%Half by now | |
| Check translations of technical terms and terminology to ensure that they are accurate and remain consistent throughout translation revisions.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 6% | 50 min17 min to 2.5 h | 87%Half by now | |
| Compile information on content and context of information to be translated and on intended audience.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 6% | 50 min17 min to 1.7 h | 96%Half by now | |
| Read written materials, such as legal documents, scientific works, or news reports, and rewrite material into specified languages.Done more than yearly by most who do it. AI observed on this task. | 5% | 3.3 h50 min to 1.7 work days | 21%Half by May 2027 | |
| Adapt translations to students' cognitive and grade levels, collaborating with educational team members as necessary.Done daily by most who do it. AI observed on this task. | 5% | 1.3 h25 min to 3.3 h | 77%Half by now | |
| Identify and resolve conflicts related to the meanings of words, concepts, practices, or behaviors.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 4% | 25 min13 min to 1.7 h | 98%Half by now | |
| Proofread, edit, and revise translated materials.Done daily by most who do it. AI observed on this task. | 4% | 1.3 h25 min to 3.3 h | 77%Half by now | |
| Follow ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 4% | 13 min4 min to 38 min | 99%Half by now | |
| Check original texts or confer with authors to ensure that translations retain the content, meaning, and feeling of the original material.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 3% | 50 min13 min to 1.7 h | 90%Half by now |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Speech-Language Pathologists71% now, 73% by 2028
- Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary23% now, 64% by 2028
- Speech-Language Pathology Assistants45% now, 47% by 2028
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors57% now, 66% by 2028
- English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary16% now, 62% by 2028
- Tutors66% now, 67% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).