- Google Translate is getting a new mode to help teach you a new language.
- The beta initially supports teaching Spanish to English speakers, and English to speakers of Spanish, Portuguese, and French.
- Translate is also getting some upgrades to its live translation mode, all thanks to AI.
For all the controversy surrounding AI when it comes to things like content generation, or hallucinating wildly incorrect facts when attempting to answer questions, most of us would agree that it works quite well when it comes to analyzing language. That opens the door for some powerful communication tools, breaking down barriers between people who speak different tongues. But what’s the best way to approach that: using AI to translate directly, or using AI to efficiently teach people new use languages? If you’re Google Translate, the answer is apparently, “why not both?”
Earlier this year we first spotted evidence that Translate was preparing a new Duolingo-like tool to help teach users new languages. We were able to bring you an early preview of that Translate teaching mode a few weeks back, and it looked nearly ready to go.