Overview
- HarperCollins France said it is conducting tests with Fluent Planet to translate Harlequin titles in the French market.
- The publisher emphasized that no Harlequin collection has been translated solely using machine-generated text.
- Translator groups ATLF and En Chair et en Os reported that dozens of regular freelancers were told their contracts are ending.
- The associations describe Fluent Planet’s process as automatic machine translation with freelance post-editing, while the company characterizes it as a hybrid model led by professional translators.
- The trial reflects a wider industry shift toward AI or hybrid translation for lower-margin lists, with recent examples cited at Taylor & Francis and startups focused on backlist and low-resource languages.