Summary: A recent study highlights the cognitive benefits of Interlingual Respeaking (IRSP), where language professionals collaborate with speech recognition software to create live subtitles in another language. This process, which combines simultaneous translation with the addition of punctuation and content labels, was the focus of a 25-hour upskilling course involving 51 language professionals.
The course showed significant improvements in executive functioning and working memory. Researchers emphasize that such training not only enhances cognitive abilities but also equips language professionals for the rapidly evolving AI-driven language industry.
Key Facts:
- IRSP is a complex process combining human translation skills with AI speech recognition to create live subtitles.
- The study involved a 25-hour upskilling course that significantly enhanced participants’ executive functioning and working memory.
- The research underscores the growing importance of human-AI collaboration in the language industry and the need for continuous professional development.
Source: University of Surrey
Interpreters, translators and subtitlers should not fear artificial intelligence (AI), as training in new forms of real-time human-AI interaction (HAII) can increase their working memory and task-switching abilities.
The project focused on Interlingual Respeaking (IRSP), a new practice where live subtitles in another language are created through the collaboration of human and speech recognition software.
IRSP is a cognitively demanding, real-time process where a language professional simultaneously translates incoming spoken language whilst also adding punctuation and content labels orally, as well as applying any editing required to speech recognition software that turns what the language professional says into subtitles.
The research included a purpose-made 25-hour upskilling course on IRSP (involving 51 language professionals), exploring its effects on cognition, particularly executive functioning (EF) and working memory (WM) that were measured before and after the course.
Dr Anna-Stiina Wallinheimo, Research Fellow at CTS with expertise in Cognitive Psychology and Fellow of Surrey’s Institute for People-Centred AI said:
“Our research findings demonstrate that training in new forms of real-time human-AI interaction, such as Interlingual Respeaking, can enhance the cognitive abilities of language professionals, giving them an advantage in a quickly evolving industry.”
Dr Elena Davitti, Associate Professor at CTS and Principal Investigator of the project said:
“The language industry, marked by the rapid growth of AI-related technologies like automatic speech recognition and machine translation, has seen an increased reliance on human-AI interaction. Our research provides valuable empirical insights into the cognitive demands of these complex practices, paving the way for enhanced approaches to upskilling.”
As AI continues to reshape the landscape of language-related practices, this study not only highlights the crucial role of human-AI collaboration but also identifies language professionals’ need for continuous exploration and adaptation in an ever-evolving field.
About this AI and cognition research news
Author: Georgina Gould
Source: University of Surrey
Contact: Georgina Gould – University of Surrey
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“Training in new forms of human-AI interaction improves complex working memory and switching skills of language professionals” by Anna-Stiina Wallinheimo et al. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence
Abstract
Training in new forms of human-AI interaction improves complex working memory and switching skills of language professionals
AI-related technologies used in the language industry, including automatic speech recognition (ASR) and machine translation (MT), are designed to improve human efficiency. However, humans are still in the loop for accuracy and quality, creating a working environment based on Human-AI Interaction (HAII).
Very little is known about these newly-created working environments and their effects on cognition. The present study focused on a novel practice, interlingual respeaking (IRSP), where real-time subtitles in another language are created through the interaction between a human and ASR software.
To this end, we set up an experiment that included a purpose-made training course on IRSP over 5 weeks, investigating its effects on cognition, and focusing on executive functioning (EF) and working memory (WM). We compared the cognitive performance of 51 language professionals before and after the course.
Our variables were reading span (a complex WM measure), switching skills, and sustained attention. IRSP training course improved complex WM and switching skills but not sustained attention. However, the participants were slower after the training, indicating increased vigilance with the sustained attention tasks.
Finally, complex WM was confirmed as the primary competence in IRSP. The reasons and implications of these findings will be discussed.
