Will Artificial Intellifence Replace Language Teachers?
I recently listened to this podcast interview of futurist Kevin Kelly:
https://theartofcharm.com/podcast-episodes/kevin-kelly-inevitable-future-episode-559/
This was recorded back in October 2016.
He talks about the possibility of an accurate simultaneous translation technology that he sees coming in the next 5 years. Maybe something like a babelfish:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babel_fish_(The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy)
Kelly says, “I think the idea of having the thing that you wear, and you’ll need to be connected online, but I think the thing that would wear and will translate for you will be in the next 5 years”
iFlytek (科大讯飞), one of the largest voice technology companies in China, already sells a pocket translation device. I don't know how good it is, but I'm sure that it'll get better and better in the future:
https://fanyi.xunfei.cn
Is this the end for language teachers? In the next couple years, will AI and technology be good enough to replace the need to learn a foreign language? Will there be a dramatic drop in the number of students who learn a second language?
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