People often ask us “Will AI replace the need to learn a language”, the short answer is NO if you don’t want to be a robot.
AI will be a great tool to help you communicate with people speaking a different language, but it cannot replace the way you communicate with people and can not get the same results.
Here are some reasons:
7-38-55 Rule:
Professor Albert Mehrabian at the University of California developed this rule in his book Silent Messages (1971). The rule states that 7% of meaning is communicated through spoken word; 38% through tone of voice; 55% through body language.
AI can only communicate 7% of the meaning even if they converted 100% correct (mostly impossible). They can not replace your tone and body language.
In simple words, people talk to people.
Language is a part of the Culture:
Many people view language as a mechanical system. While in fact, language is a part of the culture. You choose what you say based on the cultural situation then you learn how to say it. The AI can only know how to say (if it can do it properly), but cannot judge the cultural situation and choose what to say.
Language learners need to experience the language in a natural environment. It is called language immersion. A human language teacher can provide an immersive experience by reacting to the learners’ needs in real-life situations. AI, on the other hand, cannot provide the same level of language immersion as a human teacher does.
AI can be a good translator but not a good speaker. It can be used as teacher assistance, but can not replace the teacher.
Language is alive:
Language is a tool of communication. Even native speakers don’t speak in the same way. This is even more important in Japanese languages.
For example, Japanese people hardly say “No” directly. Instead of saying “No”, they say “Let me think about it” （考えさせてください）or “It might be a bit difficult,” (ちょっと難しいかもしれないです) or even just “That’s…” (それは。。。). This is very similar to Chinese “让我想想”. “有点儿难” “这个嘛—”。
AI can help people understand words, but cannot help make more meaningful connections.
In conclusion: AI can’t replace the need to learn a language but it can help you learn a language.
P.S. This article was not created using AI. I am not a Chatbot. (Lyrebird).