{"id":15065,"date":"2024-06-03T07:00:21","date_gmt":"2024-06-03T07:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/TheNextWeb=1407175"},"modified":"2024-06-03T07:00:21","modified_gmt":"2024-06-03T07:00:21","slug":"babbel-ceo-ai-will-redefine-language-learning-but-wont-replace-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=15065","title":{"rendered":"Babbel CEO: AI will redefine language learning \u2014 but won\u2019t replace it"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In our diverse and interconnected world, learning foreign languages is not only a powerful skill, but also essential for cross-cultural communication.<\/p>\n

But as translation and interpretation tools become more and more advanced, supercharged by generative AI<\/a>, a question emerges: will technology replace the need for learning foreign languages?<\/p>\n

\u201cAI won\u2019t make language learning obsolete,\u201d says Arne Schepker, CEO at Babbel, which claims to be the world\u2019s first language-learning app. \u201cBut it will redefine it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Babbel has been in the language education space since 2007. The Berlin-based unicorn now offers over 60,000 courses in 15 languages, targeting the needs of both individuals and businesses. It has also established a holistic approach to language learning, which combines self-study in the app with online classes, taught by teachers.<\/p>\n

The company has long been using artificial intelligence to boost the learning process. Use cases span from creating tailored content and enabling speech recognition to monitoring user progress and adapting lessons.<\/p>\n

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Advances in generative AI will further impact language education and enable more efficient learning pathways, according to Schepker.<\/p>\n

From personalisation to speaking practice<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe technology can support anything personalisation-oriented,\u201d Schepker tells TNW.<\/p>\n

One area of major potential is content, which Babbel has set its eyes on. \u201cThink about content that adapts to your individual needs, your passions, your interests, and your learning style,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Studies<\/a> have found that personalised content can indeed improve learning outcomes in languages and beyond.<\/p>\n

My own experience as a language teacher (before I was drawn into journalism) taught me that there is also no \u201cone-fits-all\u201d approach when it comes to designing learning content, nor when it comes to enhancing engagement or motivation. It also showed me the importance of deeply understanding the learner\u2019s level and individual needs.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a point Schepker makes as well. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of potential for advanced AI assistants for teachers, which could not only help them prepare their classes and curriculum, but also provide them with individualised feedback for students.\u201d<\/p>\n

Within Babbel\u2019s ecosystem, these assistants would monitor and analyse the learner\u2019s progress during the week before coming to class. This would, in turn, enable teachers to adapt to student needs faster and focus more on managing the dynamics of social interaction \u2014 a crucial step to becoming fluent in a foreign language.<\/p>\n

According to Schepker, GenAI also has another role to play in what he calls the \u201cin-between\u201d that connects self-study in an app and the live interaction with another person.<\/p>\n

This space allows for speaking practice without a human listener. \u201cImagine something like an avatar tutor with whom you practise new vocabulary, grammar, or a topic to review what you have learnt during the week \u2014 much like doing homework.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alongside the obvious benefit of having more tools to practise speaking, another potential advantage is more efficient allocation of teacher time.<\/p>\n

At the same time, the avatar tutor could also contribute further to battling foreign language anxiety. That is, the feeling of fear and unease when speaking a foreign language.<\/p>\n

The phenomenon, which can negatively affect the learning process, has been observed in real-life settings, where learners feel unconfident or uncomfortable making mistakes. Conversely, studies show<\/a> that practising on mobile apps reduces anxiety, especially when it comes to pronunciation.<\/p>\n

Language learning is a \u201chuman thing\u201d<\/h2>\n

According to Schepker, AI is an enabler, which can provide new learning methods and address our transactional communication needs, such as ordering a coffee or giving directions to a taxi driver.<\/p>\n

But he doesn\u2019t believe it can replace language learning itself. \u201cSpeaking languages is a human thing,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd as long as we want to converse with another human being, we\u2019ll keep on learning.\u201d<\/p>\n

The benefits of foreign language learning and multilingualism are indeed crucial for both society and individuals \u2014 especially in an increasingly globalised world.<\/p>\n

Research<\/a> shows<\/a> that learning a second language boosts overall brain function and improves attention, memory, concentration, and various other cognitive skills.<\/p>\n

Numerous<\/a> studies<\/a> have also connected language learning to enhanced academic performance, higher employability, increased creativity, and \u2014 importantly \u2014 communication skills and cross-cultural understanding.<\/p>\n

To paraphrase the famous quote of Austrian philosopher Ludgwig Wittgenestein, the limits of our language do define the limits of our world.<\/p>\n

One of the themes of this year\u2019s TNW Conference is Ren-AI-ssance: The AI-Powered Rebirth. If you want to go deeper into all things artificial intelligence, or simply experience the event (and say hi to our editorial team), we\u2019ve got something special for our loyal readers. Use the code TNWXMEDIA at checkout to get 30% off your <\/span><\/i>business pass<\/span><\/i><\/a>, <\/span><\/i>investor pass<\/span><\/i><\/a> or startup packages (<\/span><\/i>Bootstrap<\/span><\/i><\/a> & <\/span><\/i>Scaleup<\/span><\/i><\/a>).<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In our diverse and interconnected world, learning foreign languages is not only a powerful skill, but also essential for cross-cultural communication. But as translation and interpretation tools become more and more advanced,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15066,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15065"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15065"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15065\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15066"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}