AI in Language Learning: Changing the Way We Learn

The e-learning market is growing, and artificial intelligence is one of its key drivers.

Educational applications, including language learning apps, use AI to personalize learning paths, create testing systems and produce smart content. AI helps to automate the learning process, retain customers and attract new ones, so no wonder AI-based education attracts investments.

Over 300 AI-based learning companies in 2020 received $10.17 billion of investments, 83% of which were US startups. Implementing AI in a language learning app can be profitable in 2021, so we’ve prepared detailed information on why and how to implement artificial intelligence in language learning apps.

How does AI benefit language learning?

Artificial intelligence is a leading technology used in economics, marketing, healthcare, logistics, education, and more. AI is highly applicable to working with languages as it can analyze grammar and find speech patterns.

Due to AI algorithms and their ability to work with big data, language learning is significantly improving. Let’s see what the benefits of implementing artificial intelligence in language learning apps are.    

Increased user engagement

When teaching a language, educators must give enough attention to each learner. But in fact, too many participants in class or limitations for distance learning don’t allow educators to provide a personal touch. As a result, those learners who need more time to practice usually feel anxious and lose interest.  

AI algorithms can help educators provide personalized learning paths for each user depending on their interests, learning pace, and academic performance. Learners can choose preferable topics, go back to activities they want to practice more, and track their progress. AI-based apps provide an engaging learning experience for guided education and self-study so that you can expand your target audience to large user groups. 

Instant feedback for learners

Receiving immediate feedback is a powerful tool to increase learners’ performance. Artificial intelligence can assess tests and essays in real-time, so learners can analyze their mistakes when their memory is still fresh.

Besides, AI can make intelligent suggestions on avoiding these mistakes and what topics would be better to repeat. For educators, AI can provide reports with valuable data on improving learning plans, what tests seem to be confusing for learners, and dynamically showing their performance.  

Tools for educators to offload their work

Automation is one of AI superpowers. Armed with AI-based interfaces, teachers can automate grading and scheduling processes, reduce paperwork and develop smart content. 

For instance, AI-powered quiz maker ProProfs was designed to create personalized tests and exams and grade them automatically. Artificial intelligence takes over mundane tasks, freeing educators more quality time with their students. 

AI language learning tools: best use cases

If you want to learn a foreign language, you need to get a teacher and practice a lot. Can your teacher be a machine, not a human? Artificial intelligence is developing to make that shift possible one day. Chatbots, voice assistants, and translation are the most popular AI learning tools to simulate human-like interaction while studying the language. 

Chatbots

Chatbots for language learning are based chiefly on speech recognition and programmed dialogues to simulate a conversation. It’s helpful for activities such as pronunciation practice.

For example, Duolingo offers quizzes where learners need to read the word correctly to finish the task. It could take several attempts before the app accepts the answer. So learners repeat the word and memorize it seamlessly. The limitation of the speech recognition feature is that non-native speakers can have trouble passing the quizzes, as their speech is not clear.  

Another helpful tool is pre-made dialogues. Learners can have typical conversations on studied topics to practice vocabulary and grammar and learn communication peculiarities of the language they study. Even if AI answers as it was programmed to and can’t provide an open conversation yet, chatbots provide beginners with more practice without wasting human resources. 

Personalized learning

Artificial intelligence is the foundation of personalized learning. Not only does it analyze learners’ preferences, but it also makes smart suggestions based on learners’ performance. With AI-based learning apps, learners develop language skills faster as they learn topics and words they need.

Due to personalized experience, people engage in the learning process with more excitement. AI in language learning helps to deliver relevant content for each learner as it can predict learning outcomes. Personalized learning is what modern society demands nowadays, so AI can attract more users and increase ROI.   

AI-powered translation (or neural machine translation)

AI perfectly deals with translation as it can work with large amounts of data, recognize voice, text, images, and even text from photos. Artificial neural nets analyze words and sentences and study grammar relationships of a particular language. The technology learns from previous translations and improves itself.

AI-powered translators use an advanced technique called Neural Machine Translation (NMT). NMT works fast and processes a lot of data to produce an accurate translation. Learners can use AI-powered translators to understand a foreign language’s sentence structure better and use words correctly. 

Examples of AI in language apps

Language learning with artificial intelligence technologies becomes a fascinating journey, where tedious tasks change to engaging activities and encourage learners to emerge in a language environment without effort. Let’s look at how language learning applications use artificial intelligence in practice. 

Memrise

Memrise is a language learning app founded in 2010; it has more than 40 million registered users and $4 million of turnover monthly. Memrise is an AI-based application which provides adaptive learning, helping their users become fluent.

Memrise teaches its neural nets with several databases and materials prepared by native speakers. As learners progress through courses, the app analyses their outcomes, adjusts tasks suitable for their level, finds weak areas, and helps to improve each learner’s path.

Busuu

Busuu is a language learning platform that combines digital and social learning, letting its users grow their vocabulary and grammar skills and practice their knowledge with native speakers. The Busuu community has over 90 million people, and the company achieved 80% revenue growth in 2020.

Busuu offers AI-powered vocabulary and grammar trainers, which adjust learning materials according to each learner’s learning pace. The application gives them tasks to repeat a particular topic in the best timeframe for long-term memorization based on learners’ strengths and weaknesses.

Glossika

Glossika is a language learning app focused on delivering fluency skills to its users. The app offers sixty different languages to study. Glossika utilizes artificial intelligence algorithms to provide a natural learning experience, where vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar are learned in the context of entire sentences.

The application offers relevant content according to user demands and streamlines learning programs to achieve fluency the fastest way. 

ELSA

Another AI-powered learning language app is ELSA. It has over 7 million users globally, and its yearly revenue is over $14 million. The app is focused on improving speaking skills. ELSA teaches learners to sound like a native speaker using speech recognition.

When learners first install the app, they are offered to pass a pronunciation test. ELSA provides a personalized learning path based on test results, including learning materials that fit learners’ needs. 

How to build an AI language app: our recommendations

The education sector requires technology as never before. Education trends like personalized learning, life-long learning, digital and remote learning force companies and educational institutions to adjust to learners’ needs.

Empowering your language app with AI can help you win more customers and stand out from competitors. If you want to implement artificial intelligence to your app efficiently, consider the following pieces of advice. 

Considering the needs of your target audience

Modern technologies don’t always address users’ concerns. To make use of AI, you should understand how it can solve your target audience’s problems.

Conduct some research and assess users’ performance and course completion rates, study how often they use the app, prepare questionnaires, etc. Research data will help you to reveal your application weaknesses and create a development plan considering AI implementation. 

Focusing on a specific AI-powered feature

Artificial intelligence can boost automation, learning content, planning, and many more processes. But implementing all the features together could raise major problems with application support, interface complications, customer churn, etc.

We suggest prioritizing AI-based feature implementation according to user needs. This approach will help you to satisfy your learners and test out the features without the rush. 

Using natural language processing

Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a way to program computers to analyze languages, words, and syntax. NLP uses machine learning to process natural languages. NLP algorithms allow applications to process data fast and efficiently, streamlining their work and reducing your costs.

Natural language processing algorithms are used in voice assistants, chatbots, and translations. It’s a leading technology, so you should consider using NLP if you want to adopt AI.

Updating the content database constantly

The more data you manage to collect, the faster your AI-based app improves. Neural net algorithms can teach themselves to understand learners’ needs and improve suggestions. But to make it work, they require constant database replenishment.

You can widen your content repository by adding learners’ input to it and engaging educators to contribute to your learning materials database so your AI could draw new information.

Conclusion

People seek to learn a language fast, and traditional learning approaches don’t seem attractive and take a long time to bring an expected result. If you want to create a language learning app, you should consider implementing AI tools to attract more users and win the competition.

Digital technology as artificial intelligence offers the tools, which provide a seamless and engaging learning experience, so people study willingly and efficiently.

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