At present, translation and interpreting remain time-consuming tasks, requiring the dedicated attention of highly trained individuals, who each can only specialise in a limited combination of languages, or even fields. But even as a translator myself, if my job were to disappear overnight, I would indubitably rejoice at the utopian prospects the “Universal Translator” may realise: universal access to information, a level playing field for all! Égalité! But how close are we to achieving this wondrous goal, if it is even possible?