The role of AI in enhancing multilingual communication in academia
(2025) AI-powered Multilingualism: Friend or Foe for European Universities? — Location: Université Libre de Bruxelles (25.November.2025)
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- Abstract
- This presentation offers a meta-level reflection on AI-powered multilingualism in European universities, arguing that AI is neither a true friend nor a total foe, but a tool whose value depends on human, strategic, and context-sensitive choices. Grounded in the Circle U. Language Compass, it reframes communication not as mere translation but as the co-construction of meaning, requiring awareness of audience, purpose, and linguistic ecology. The talk critiques maximal translation as a hidden form of monolingual thinking and promotes functional multilingualism — “not everything in all languages, not everything in English” — as a more realistic and inclusive approach. While AI expands multilingual access, reach, and accessibility (e.g. subtitles, rapid translation), the presentation highlights its limits: potential errors, cultural flattening, reinforcement of English-first practices, and unrealistic expectations. It stresses that multilingualism goes beyond official alliance languages to include heritage and community languages, which are vital for belonging and equity. The conclusion advocates a balanced linguistic ecology that protects “breathing spaces” for languages, supports strategic alternation between separation and integration, and places people before systems, affirming that informed human judgement remains central to meaningful, inclusive communication.
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Meunier, F. (2025). The role of AI in enhancing multilingual communication in academia. AI-powered Multilingualism: Friend or Foe for European Universities?, Université Libre de Bruxelles.