A new study published in Language in Society by Cambridge University Press examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping the global linguistic landscape and how powerful traditional institutions are reacting.
The paper, titled “Language in the age of AI technology: From human to non-human authenticity, from public governance to privatised assemblages”, is co-authored by Dr. Iker Erdocia (Assistant Professor and Director of Research in the School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies at Dublin City University and an ADAPT academic), Prof. Dr. Britta Schneider (Europa-University Viadrina Frankfurt), and Prof. Bettina Migge (University College Dublin).
The research investigates the evolving role of long-standing language authorities, focussing particularly on the Real Academia Española (RAE), the institution historically charged with maintaining the standard of the Spanish language. According to the study, RAE presents itself as a professional authority that protects the rights of Spanish speakers. By invoking themes of authenticity and linguistic endangerment, it frames AI-generated language as artificial and a threat to the genuine Spanish spoken by humans.
The authors argue that such discourse reflects an underlying power struggle, as traditional language-regulating institutions are being redefined in response to sociotechnical shifts increasingly driven by global tech corporations. This open-access paper is available online here and contributes to a growing body of research exploring the intersections of linguistics, artificial intelligence, and institutional power.
