What’s the point of learning a language if artificial translation tools are so powerful?

In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), learning foreign languages ​​may seem outdated. Why waste time and effort learning another language when technology can do it for you?

There are now translation tools that let you understand song lyrics, translate websites, and enable automatic subtitles when watching foreign videos and movies. Our phones can instantly translate spoken words.

At the same time, foreign language programs are being closed at universities in New Zealand and Australia.

But while technology can translate messages, it misses an important component of human communication—the cultural nuances behind words.

So, while AI translation can overcome language barriers and facilitate communication through its accessibility, it is important to clearly understand the benefits and challenges it presents. Simply relying on technology to translate between languages ​​will ultimately lead to misunderstandings and a less rich human experience.

Development of translation technologies

Translation technology has developed rapidly since its introduction between the 1950s and 1960s. This progress was bolstered by the commercialization of computer-based translation systems in the 1980s.

But recent advances in generative artificial intelligence have led to significant breakthroughs in translation technology.

Google Translate has changed dramatically since its launch in 2006. It was originally developed as a limited statistical translation machine, but has evolved into a “portable translator”.

AI translation is useful in some circumstances. For example, helping teachers communicate with parents who speak a different language or when traveling.

Translation technologies can even play a role in preserving endangered indigenous and minority languages ​​by maintaining online literature collections. Incorporating artificial intelligence technologies into these digital libraries can help users access and understand these texts.

But the new technology also has limitations.

In 2019, officials at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in the United States used artificial transfer to process an asylum application. The voice translation tool was unable to understand the applicant’s regional accent or dialect, resulting in the asylum seeker spending six months in detention without being able to fully communicate with anyone.

In 2021, a US court ruled that Google Translate is not reliable enough to guarantee anyone’s consent. The officer used a translation app to ask the Spanish-speaking suspect if he could search her car. Google Translate used the word “registrar” (which translates to “register” but can be used to mean “check”) when in fact “buscar” (for search) would have been more appropriate.

Brain Health and Other Benefits

Learning additional languages ​​is also considered one of the best ways to improve yourself, with benefits for brain health, social skills, cultural understanding, empathy, and career opportunities.

An analysis of studies from 2012 to 2019 found that speaking more than one language can increase brain flexibility, delay the onset of dementia and improve cognitive health later in life. The analysis also recommended starting language learning as early as possible.

In 2022, the Council of Europe emphasized the importance of multilingual and intercultural education for the development of a democratic culture, noting its cognitive, linguistic and social benefits.

And this year the council launched the “Language Education at the Core of Democracy” program. The goal is to highlight the importance of language learning in building a more just society.

Lost in translation

In Aotearoa New Zealand, English is widely used. Te Reo Māori and New Zealand Sign Language are also recognized as official languages. About 29% of citizens were born abroad. More than 150 languages ​​are spoken here, of which at least 24 are spoken by more than 10,000 people.

But interest in learning languages ​​has fallen. In 2021, 980 full-time students were studying a language other than Maori or New Zealand Sign Language at one of the country’s eight universities, up from 1,555 less than a decade ago.

As a consequence, a number of universities have closed or announced plans to close their language programs.

While AI translation technology has its uses, a lot can be lost if we rely solely on it to communicate. The nuances of languages ​​and what they say about different cultures are difficult to convey through translation tools.

And the benefits of bilingualism or multilingualism—both personally and for the wider community—risk being lost unless we support second language learning.