On November 29, 2025, the Forum on Cognitive Translation Studies in the Age of Digital and Artificial Intelligence & the 8th Conference on Cognitive Translation Studies was successfully held at Tongji University. The conference was jointly organized by the School of Foreign Studies of Tongji University and the Cognitive Translation Studies Committee of the China Association for Comparative Studies of English and Chinese, as a platform for academic exchange with focus on the integration of digital and artificial intelligence technologies and cognitive translation studies. Over a hundred experts, scholars, and young researchers from more than ten universities and research institutions across China gathered together to discuss theoretical innovations and practical developments in cognitive translation studies.

Opening Ceremony Address: Charting a New Course for Translation Studies in the Age of Digital and Artificial Intelligence

In the morning, the opening ceremony was held at the lecture hall of the German Library, chaired by Professor Shen Qi. In the opening addresses, the speakers welcomed the attendees and wished the conference a complete success.

Professor Zhao Hongduo, Assistant to the President of Tongji University, introduced the university’s latest advancements in AI translation research, empirical analysis of cognitive translation and the translation education programs, emphasizing the significance of this forum in the acceleration of integrating new liberal arts with artificial intelligence. He looked forward to substantive, in-depth cooperation with peer universities to jointly advance the innovative development of foreign language disciplines in the age of digital and artificial intelligence.

Professor Wu Yun, Dean of the School of Foreign Studies at Tongji University, highlighted the School’s innovative practices in integrating translation studies with artificial intelligence, cognitive science and other disciplines, and the Forum’s broad coverage that would fully showcase the latest research achievements and development trends in the field of cognitive translation studies. She particularly encouraged young scholars to pursue in-depth and innovative research, contributing to the interdisciplinary development of translation studies in China.

Professor Wen Xu, President of the Cognitive Translation Studies Committee of the China Association for Comparative Studies of English and Chinese and Professor at Southwest University, noted the potential for interdisciplinary integration with digital and artificial intelligence of cognitive translation studies as it is transforming toward human-AI collaborative cognition. Future research should be rooted in the Chinese context and ride the wave of artificial intelligence, providing solid theoretical support for the international communication of Chinese culture through theoretical and empirical exploration.

Keynote Speeches: Demonstrating Academic Depth While Focusing on Core Issues

In the keynote speech session, ten scholars shared their latest in-depth thinking on key issues in cognitive translation studies in the age of digital and artificial intelligence.

Academician Li Defeng of the University of Macau presented on the measure and modelling of dynamic cognitive load in multimodal simultaneous interpreting through multiple methods such as eye tracking.

Professor Lu Zhi of Huaqiao University focused on the impact of AI on cognitive processes in interpreting, identifying automatic speech recognition and neural machine translation technologies not merely as interpreting aids but cognitive ability enhancers as well.

Professor Wang Jianhua of Renmin University of China proposed a human-AI collaborative cognitive enhancement theory for interpreting by constructing a multi-level theoretical framework including a perception enhancement layer, a cognitive offloading and collaboration layer.

Professor Tan Yesheng of Shanghai International Studies University, drawing on the embodied cognition perspective, explored the dilemmas and breakthroughs in the translation and introduction of Chinese publishing institutions and proposed a “de-institutionalized” strategy of embodied cognitive profiling.

Professor Liang Junying of Zhejiang University focused on interpreting cognitive computing research and highlighted the trend of human-AI collaboration in interpreting studies by showcasing cutting-edge explorations in areas such as text computing and human-AI comparison.

Professor Xiao Kairong of Southwest University studied the concept of “Qi” in traditional Chinese medicine from the perspective of cultural metaphor theory, exploring the re-conceptualization cognitive actions involved in its translation.

Professor Zhu Xianlong of South China University of Technology focused on the empathy in the English translation of Chineseliejinpoetic couplets and explained the cognitive basis and operational mechanisms of empathy through distinguishing between empathizing with people and with objects.

Professor Zhu Yifan of Shanghai Jiao Tong University started from two key concepts in the history of conceptual translation and demonstrated the social and cultural cognitive conflicts and reconstructions that concepts undergo when moving from one socio-cultural context to another.

Professor Wang Xiangling of Hunan University confirmed the advantages of large language models in improving translation efficiency and reducing cognitive load, while also pointing out their limitations in conveying cultural connotations by comparing the differences between machine translation post-editing and human translation in terms of cognitive process.

Professor Sun Kun of Tongji University emphasized that large language models still lag behind professional translators in creative and cultural expression in literary translation by constructing the first English-Chinese bidirectional evaluation system of literary translation.

Parallel Sessions: Deepening Research Issues from Multidimensional Perspectives

In the afternoon, five parallel sessions were held, focusing respectively on: 1) Theoretical Evolution and Pathway Construction in Cognitive Translation Studies; 2) Translation Cognitive Mechanisms and Applications of AI and Large Language Models; 3) Translation Cognitive Mechanisms and Meaning Construction in Multimodal Contexts; 4) Empirical Research on Cognitive Processes in Interpreting and Translation and Technology Intervention Analysis; and 5) Classic Translation Mechanisms and Cross-Cultural Communication from a Cultural Cognitive Perspective.

Closing Ceremony: Looking Forward after Reviewing Achievements

Professor Cao Jin of Northwest Normal University chaired the reporting of the parallel sessions, where five moderators, Cao Qilin, Lin Yumeng, Guo Liangliang, Lu Ying, and Jiang Mengying of Tongji University, summarized their respective sessions. The sessions witnessed notable shifts in cognitive translation studies in the age of digital and artificial intelligence toward empirical study, technology integration, and interdisciplinary integration.

Subsequently, Professor Sun Yu, Dean of the School of Foreign Studies at Northwestern Polytechnical University, the host institution for the next conference, highly appreciated this conference in promoting theoretical innovation and interdisciplinary integration in cognitive translation studies and extended a sincere invitation to all participants to gather next year in Xi’an.

In his closing address, Professor Cao Jin gave a positive comment on the innovative interdisciplinary studies with the combination of theoretical and empirical explorations. Entrusted by Professor Wen Xu, he declared a successful conclusion of the conference and looked forward to more in-depth researches to propell cognitive translation studies to new heights.

The success of this conference not only brought together the latest achievements in cognitive translation studies and deepened the understanding of translation cognitive mechanisms in the age of digital and artificial intelligence within the academic community, but also injected new momentum into the interdisciplinary development and international communication of cognitive translation studies. Moving forward, participating scholars will continue to delve into related fields, responding to the demands of the era through academic innovation, and make greater contributions to building China’s independent knowledge system of translation and promoting mutual learning among civilizations.