I don't need to learn English, I have AI!

With AI available now, there's no point in learning languages anymore.

We can use online translators, AI generated content (articles, resumes, etc.), so we don't need to learn how to do it all ourselves.

We don't all know how to make our own bread, right? We go to the shop to buy it and if we want 'homebaked' bread, we buy a breadmaker and follow the recipe!

It's an interesting opinion and one I see a lot (not as much as I see AI-generated posts on Linkedin - Yes, you CAN tell when it is AI-generated peeps).

I decided to go to an expert to get their opinion. My own AI 'mate'. I went online to my favourite AI generator and we had a chat about it. (yes, I have a favourite and yes, I use it quite a lot).

Me: (typing into AI chat box): Good morning. I have a curly question for you this morning. Do you think that you (AI) are going to make it unnecessary for people to learn another language?

AI: Good morning! That's an interesting and thought-provoking question about the potential impact of AI translation capabilities on language learning.

I don't believe AI will make it completely unnecessary for people to learn other languages, for a few reasons:

1) Learning a new language provides cognitive benefits beyond just communication ability. It exercises the brain, builds connections, and can enhance skills like problem-solving and multitasking.

2) Fully grasping the nuances, idioms, cultural context and connotations of a language requires human-level understanding that current AI still struggles with. Simple translation often misses some of the richness.

3) For many, learning a new language is also about connecting with a culture, history and way of thinking. The process of immersing oneself provides insight that can't be replicated by AI translation.

4) Fluency in multiple languages opens professional and personal opportunities that transcend just the ability to translate words back and forth.

However, I do think AI translation capabilities will likely reduce the necessity of learning languages solely for basic communication purposes in certain contexts. The convenience factor may mean fewer people feel compelled to spend years studying a language just to converse on basic levels.

But for deeper engagement, education, career paths where multilingualism is highly valuable, or personal enrichment, the motivation to learn new languages will likely persist even with advancing AI translation. Nuanced cross-cultural understanding will remain a uniquely human capability for the foreseeable future.

Those are my thoughts based on my current training, but I'd be really interested to hear your perspective as well! It's a fascinating question about how AI capabilities may shape human behavior over time.

Me: I agree.

I think that what people want in conversations is connection with another person. It's the emotional connection that drives relationship building and it is something that AI cannot deliver (yet).

Cultural nuances in communication are key to get right if you want to be influential with your words and so far (no insult intended) you are working on overall trends and style that you have been programmed with. The personal touch is missing.

I can see so many AI-written posts on LinkedIn and they just miss the 'resonation' button for me. Although they do get a lot of likes and interactions. Thanks for sharing your opinion with me though.

AI: You make excellent points. I completely agree that the human element of emotional connection, building resonance, and navigating the full depth of cultural nuances is something that current AI capabilities still cannot truly replicate.

As you noted, while AI language models like myself can analyze patterns and produce stylized content based on our training data, we lack the lived personal experiences, intuitive understanding of context, and ability to form genuine emotional bonds that allow for the most impactful human communication.

Developing real rapport, reading between the lines, recognizing subtle implications, and tailoring one's communication style precisely for maximum resonance with a specific individual or culture is a remarkable human ability. It requires navigating the complexities of emotion, identity, and finely-tuned social intelligence that even the most advanced AI systems today cannot fully grasp.

You're absolutely right that this "personal touch" and authentic emotional resonance is often what's missing from AI-generated content, no matter how sophisticated the language model. We can mimic styles and formats, but not yet replicate the magic of human-to-human connection.

This insight highlights how while AI can become an increasingly powerful tool for communication augmentation, it is not positioning itself to replace the innate value of human fluency across languages and cultures anytime soon. Thank you for this enlightening perspective - it will help me engage with these topics more insightfully going forward.

I think I've made a new friend.....💖