Most language teachers and experts agree that time, immersion, and motivation are the ingredients to language proficiency. But for shy learners with an internet connection, an AI bot might be a useful way to get started. Just don’t be surprised when native speakers pause at your slightly mechanical accent.
Can AI Chatbots Help You Finally Learn Spanish?
BEYOND WORDS
Just don’t be surprised when native speakers pause at your slightly robotic accent.
"If you have painful memories of high school Spanish, or stumbling through ordering a meal while traveling abroad, you’re not alone. Though more Americans than ever report speaking a second language at home, many Americans remain monolingual. Language learning apps have attempted to change that for well over a decade, many of which have recently championed their new use of artificial intelligence as the most effective way to learn a language.
. . .Natural spoken conversation represents a final frontier for many learners who aren’t immersed in their chosen language. Anyone who has taken a language class can likely relate: hours in front of a textbook, conjugation tables, and flashcards don’t necessarily translate to fluent conversation. So then, how should the learners who don’t have the time, money, or confidence to work with a human teacher learn to speak in their new language?
“Every aspect of classic education will get transformed or even replaced by AI.”
— Maksym “Max” Hryniv
Your Robot Language Tutor
Many of the most popular apps have long relied on speech synthesis, a form of AI which helps the robot voice sound more human by mimicking speech patterns and tone while still preserving that distinctly perfect diction. But every app has taken on the ongoing AI revolution differently.
For example, Babbel has introduced a new classroom program where users can book a drop-in virtual language class in much the same way you book a yoga workout. Memrise, an app that relies heavily on video and audio of native speakers chatting, has developed a language bot that will type chat messages in almost-real time with users (there’s still a noticeable delay between prompt and message). On the extreme side of commitment to AI is Duolingo, which created a third tier of their subscription model for AI-enhanced learning (and notably fired 10 percent of its contractor staff at the end of 2023).
However, Natulang represents the furthest end of the AI use spectrum with its speech recognition model. Unlike apps that rely on tapping pre-selected words, Natulang is an almost entirely speech-based app. The app only displays an ongoing conversation log, with no ads, flashy animations, or streaks. This is deliberate, app developer Maksym “Max” Hryniv told The Daily Beast. It’s also part of why he believes Natulang is effective.
The concept is simple. The app asks you to say a short phrase in your target language. If you get it right, you move to the next phrase. If you get it wrong, the app corrects you. You move through a simple conversation this way, reusing grammar structures and vocabulary until it becomes second-nature. . . ."
For example, Babbel has introduced a new classroom program where users can book a drop-in virtual language class in much the same way you book a yoga workout. Memrise, an app that relies heavily on video and audio of native speakers chatting, has developed a language bot that will type chat messages in almost-real time with users (there’s still a noticeable delay between prompt and message). On the extreme side of commitment to AI is Duolingo, which created a third tier of their subscription model for AI-enhanced learning (and notably fired 10 percent of its contractor staff at the end of 2023).
However, Natulang represents the furthest end of the AI use spectrum with its speech recognition model. Unlike apps that rely on tapping pre-selected words, Natulang is an almost entirely speech-based app. The app only displays an ongoing conversation log, with no ads, flashy animations, or streaks. This is deliberate, app developer Maksym “Max” Hryniv told The Daily Beast. It’s also part of why he believes Natulang is effective.
The concept is simple. The app asks you to say a short phrase in your target language. If you get it right, you move to the next phrase. If you get it wrong, the app corrects you. You move through a simple conversation this way, reusing grammar structures and vocabulary until it becomes second-nature. . . ."
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