Imagine being an international student* eager to participate in class. You know the answer to the lecturer’s question and can explain it well, but you decide not to speak up due to a lack of confidence in your English. You are worried about stumbling over words or mispronunciations, causing you to stay silent and miss the chance to share valuable insights. Without a doubt, communication is at the center of knowledge sharing, interactions, and any other activity that involves a connection with another human being (Alagar, 2023). Thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT), we are living in a highly diversified and globalized world, where people all around the globe can connect, and share thoughts, ideas, and emotions. However, this enablement of globalization and diversification may have exacerbated another problem, which is the problem of language Barriers (Alagar, 2023).
The example described above is one of the many issues that one may encounter when dealing with a language barrier. For example, think about someone you want to talk to, however because of the language barrier you do not know how to leverage the social nuances or slang accurately which may hinder your interaction with this person. Or think about that class that you are interested in, however, the accent of the lecturer giving the class is just a bit too strong, which might affect your ability to understand and receive the required knowledge. In addition, not only in the academic world are language barriers posing a big challenge. Jaime A (2023), who studied the effect of language barriers in healthcare communication, argues that patients whose native language is not English may experience reduced healthcare due to miscommunication. Luckily, we live in a world where artificial intelligence is revolutionizing industries, breaking down barriers, and enabling limitations that were once impossible to solve. Language Barriers are no exception.
Imagine a world where everyone can understand each other, despite their cultural, ethnic, or social background. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can make this imagination into a reality, by acting as a universal translator and facilitating communication between individuals who speak different languages and breaking down language barriers (Alagar, 2023). The combination of various crucial technological innovations in the realm of Artificial intelligence, for example, Natural language processing (NLP), real-time communication, and augmented reality (AR) has made the possibility to the reality of perfect communication between languages (Alagar, 2023). Moreover, Jaime A (2023) argues that LLMs such as ChatGPT and GPT-4 can be used for translation or to reduce complex words and jargon into simplified versions that would facilitate communication. Imagine you are sitting in a classroom where the lecturer is speaking in English, however, you are receiving the information in your native/preferred language.
However, as with any disruptive innovation, there are many challenges, ethical considerations, and cultural sensitivity to consider (Alagar, 2023) . According to Alagar (2023), while AI can make communication between languages easier, it will also replace the value and all the positive experiences that come with learning a new language/culture. Moreover, although LLMs such as ChatGPT/GPT-4 can be used to facilitate and improve the communication between a native speaker and a non-native speaker, the human factor in communication must never be forgotten (Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva, 2023). In my opinion, the eagerness to connect with people with different languages and backgrounds is the reason why people would learn a new language and not the other way around. This means that AI technology would be the facilitator and tool to assist people in bridging the communication gap and reduce language barries (Alagar, 2023).
* International student refers to students whose native language is not English. English is used as a reference here because English is the most translated language in the world. Furthermore, English is the main language used in the academic and corporate world.
References
Alagar, R. (2023, Oct 4,). Breaking language barriers: The role of AI in global communication. https://skillfloor.com/blog/breaking-language-barriers-the-role-of-ai-in-global-communication
Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva. (2023). Can ChatGPT rescue or assist with language barriers in healthcare communication?
I understand that AI should encourage people to connect when facing language barriers. I agree that these barriers are particularly challenging in academic and professional environments and support the idea to use AI in emerging moments (accident in foreign country) .
However, learning a new language does much more than just bridge communication gaps—it plays a relevant role in shaping a person’s character, expanding their knowledge, and gaining a deeper understanding of different cultures. This experience supports personal growth, not just through language proficiency but through the ability to connect and engage meaningfully with others. While AI can assist in overcoming these challenges when needed, it should not replace the human experience of language learning.
This raises a crucial question: should AI be seen purely as a supportive tool, or are we at risk of over-reliance, losing the essential human element in communication? Moreover, could excessive AI use oversimplify interactions, lowering the cultural richness and emotional depth behind a language?
From my own experience as a bilingual person, I’ve experienced that learning and speaking more than one language helped me adapting more quickly to new environments, stepping outside my comfort zone, and becoming more open to engaging with people from different cultures and countries and feeling safe while travelling.
Unfortunately, I’ve also encountered people who say they don’t see the need to learn new languages anymore because of tools like Google Translate, DeepL, ChatGPT, or voice translation apps.
Hi Senanur,
Your view on the impact and effect that learning a new language has on us human beings is thoughtful and captivating. I also share the idea that learning a new language can improve skills and capabilities in ways we cannot even imagine. Furthermore, I agree that we should not focus too much on the possibilities and capabilities of AI technology while forgetting fundamental activities that make us human beings who we are. However, to try to answer your questions, I want to focus on what inspired me to write this blog. Instead of immediately thinking about what to write that is related to AI technology, I focused on the problem.
Sure, a language barrier can stand in the way of you making a meaningful connection or can ruin your vacation when you visit a foreign country. However, let us raise the stakes a bit and bring up some more dire situations. For example, a language barrier can decide your future, your career, and whether you get that dream job that you always wanted. And how about a non-native speaker who cannot explain his/her symptoms to a doctor because of a language barrier? This issue can result in devastating mistakes that can even cost human lives. Next to all these issues, it takes a considerable amount of resources to learn a new language. Moreover, there are thousands of languages all around the world, and it takes consistent practice to learn a single one.
Sure, it is fun to learn a new language and be able to speak multiple languages, however, what about the people whose lives truly depend on it? Perhaps it is not that important for a person to be able to speak many different languages, and knowing one or two is fine, or at least the main spoken languages is enough. However, can you say the same for businesses that want to connect with people all over the globe?? Why should a business limit its potential to connect with billions of people all over the world just because of a language barrier? Therefore, whether one chooses to see revolutionizing AI technologies as a tool or not, the reality is that we are one LLM, prompt, and Chatbot away from solving all of these problems.