The Linguist

Chartered Institute of Linguists AUTUMN 2025 The Linguist 7 NEWS & EDITORIAL and that leaders are now better placed to manage AI in a risk-balanced way. This involves recognising that the use of powerful, universally available tools can bring huge benefits, but only if risk is properly managed. For example, frontline staff need to be empowered to make key decisions, and attention must be paid to specific 'anchor points' (such as standardised documents) where gold-standard translation should always be recommended. Representatives from several government departments attended the meeting. They demonstrated that work on understanding these issues is advancing at pace across the civil service. In July, the APPG held a special session to consider the sector response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review's interim report. Its final report, due this autumn, is expected to define the place of languages in the school curriculum and, ultimately, its long-term survival as a core subject. The cross-party group had two key meetings this summer, considering AI in public services and the curriculum review. Philip Harding-Esch reports The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modern Languages held two important meetings this summer. On 23 June, it revisited the issue of AI translation in public services, specifically the NHS and social care, but extending to immigration and asylum, and the criminal justice system. There were presentations from CIOL's John Worne and Dom Hebblethwaite, Dr Lucas Nunes Vieira of the University of Bristol, Dr Stephen Hibbs of the Wolfson Institute of Population Health at Queen Mary University of London, and Professor Federico Federici of UCL's Centre for Translation Studies. CIOL has commissioned research from Dr Nunes Vieira looking at how AI is being deployed in healthcare settings. Dr Hibbs and Dr Federici shared their own experiences of the high stakes involved when using AI translation in critical settings. Examples included a patient whose misunderstanding of their post-operative treatment plan led to their organ transplant failing; and incorrect numbers being given for dosages and other data. The discussion showed that understanding at decision-making level has been evolving The main concerns of the sector were explored and clear policy asks were identified. This was counterbalanced by some powerful examples of success within the current system, not least Hounslow's Languages for All project in which the local council, schools, colleges and Royal Holloway University of London collaborate to provide promising students with a supported languages pathway to A level and beyond. A level entries have already doubled. This echoes the success of Hackney's Spanish First initiative, which has seen a similar jump in entries at GCSE and A level. This adds to the evidence that while structural and systemic challenges hold languages back, innovation and collaboration can tap into students' inherent enthusiasm for languages. Inside Parliament AT WESTMINSTER St Stephen's Hall in the House of Commons Philip Harding-Esch works on behalf of CIOL to provide the secretariat to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Languages. TL

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