Culture | Johnson

AI could make it less necessary to learn foreign languages

That is good news for travellers, bad news for soulful connection

A two-faced figure, one human, the other robot
Illustration: Nick Lowndes

On holiday, many will find themselves in places where they do not speak the language. Once upon a time, they might have carried a phrasebook. The rise of English has made that less necessary. But most people—at least seven of the world’s eight billion—still do not speak English. That leaves options like pantomime, a willingness to be surprised by what arrives at dinner—or, increasingly, technology.

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This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Yo hablo AI”

From the August 19th 2023 edition

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