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The Conversation
The Conversation
Politics
Elba Ramirez, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader BA International Studies, Auckland University of Technology

With AI translation tools so powerful, what is the point of learning a language?

In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), foreign language learning can seem like it’s becoming obsolete. Why invest the time and effort to learn another language when technology can do it for you?

There are now translation tools to understand song lyrics, translate websites and to enable automated captions when watching foreign videos and movies. Our phones can instantly translate spoken words.

At the same time, foreign language programmes are closing at New Zealand and Australian universities.

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