National AI champion iFlytek in dispute over ‘automated’ speech translation at Shanghai forum

Sarah Daiin Beijing
Voice recognition technology firm iFlytek was drawn into a dispute with an interpreter, who accused it of passing off his translation as something done entirely by artificial intelligence at the 2018 International Forum on Innovation and Emerging Industries Development, a conference that was held in Shanghai last week. Photo: Handout

Chinese voice recognition technology provider iFlytek was drawn into a dispute with an interpreter working at a recent high-profile conference, who accused it of passing off his translation as something done entirely by artificial intelligence (AI), an accusation that the company denies.

Shenzhen-listed iFlytek said it has the technology to do simultaneous translation without need for human interpreters, but the service it provided at the 2018 International Forum on Innovation and Emerging Industries Development in Shanghai last week was for real-time transcription and billed as such.

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