On October 9, 2025, the Global Network Seminar was held, and the seminar welcomed Ms. Rocío Hayer, a doctoral candidate at the University of Vigo and Strategic Account Executive at Canva, as the guest speaker. Drawing on both her professional experience as a translator and her academic expertise in Translation and Interpreting Studies, Ms. Hayer delivered a lecture on how the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the translation industry.

She first introduced the new challenges that AI has brought to the translation industry, drawing on her extensive professional experience in the creative software industry as well as her academic background in translation research. At the same time, she emphasized that human translators continue to play an essential role despite the increasing automation of translation. In particular, she highlighted that human expertise remains indispensable in situations requiring cultural knowledge, contextual understanding, and critical judgment.

Ms. Hayer also pointed out that translators should increasingly position themselves not only as language specialists but also as "cultural advisors." She explained that future translators will need to make informed decisions about when AI should and should not be used and to recommend the most appropriate translation process according to clients' needs and specific contexts.

Following the lecture, an active discussion took place between Ms. Hayer and the participants. Students exchanged their perspectives on AI and translation while receiving practical advice on future career development in the field.

The seminar provided participants with a valuable opportunity to deepen their understanding of the changing role of translators in the age of AI and the transformation of the translation industry. It also encouraged students interested in translation and intercultural communication to reflect on their professional expertise and future career paths.