Will AI Book Translations Take Off?

  

Many book publishers and authors would love to expand their base of consumers beyond the English-speaking population. After all, some seven billion people do not speak any English.

The typical approach to getting book sales in other languages is for publishers to sell the foreign publishing rights to overseas publishers. Some of this takes place at international book conventions, such as The Frankfurt Book Fair or The London Book Fair. Other deals are made by zoom and email. It takes time, effort, and luck.

What if this process could be expedited, at no cost, and ensure more sales?

AI may be the secret weapon.

Taylor & Francis, a UK-based publisher, recently announced it plans to use AI to translate some of their books into more than 30 languages. This means translations can take place quickly and without the expense of locating and paying for translators and editors. It also means the risk of an incorrect translation coming about is highly likely.

The Society of Authors condemned this plan. Others have a wait-and-see approach. It may just catch on. This could revolutionize publishing globally.

Suddenly, millions of books could become available in Spanish, Chinese, French, etc. The rest of the world will become like America — flooded with overwhelming choices of mediocre or bad books. And now those new options will be mixed with ones that may not be translated correctly.

Updated Note 4/16/25: “Just spotted your blog piece about Taylor & Francis’ AI translation announcement. I have a correction though, if possible: the plan is not to translate our existing publications into other languages. Instead, we will be making books that have previously been published in other languages available in English for the first time.” — Mark Robinson – Media Relations Manager, Taylor & Francis

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Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over four million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors like you to promote your story, sell your book, and grow your brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over four million pageviews. With 5,000+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.”  Copyright 2025.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully).

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog.

 

You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum