Disrupting the Language Industry: AI, Equity, and the Future of Language Education
Remember how “disruption” used to be the buzzword for everyone trying to sell a new product?
That disappeared fast once actual disruption happened. Covid, conflicts, and economic shifts have changed our world beyond what we could all imagine. But language is human, and humans adapt.
I’ve worked in online language education since 2012, and here are the trends I see shaking up our world in a good way.
Understanding AI in Language Education
When publicly available LLMs and genAIs came on the scene, my instinct was skepticism. But once I took a curious peek, I fell head over heels. A huge corpus we can do anything with? In hundreds of languages? Well, hello!
I co-founded AI Language Club in 2023, and every month since then we’’ve been explored new innovations for AI-powered language practice. Examples:
generate images from multilingual prompts,
co-write poetry with a virtual Sylvia Plath,
or get grammar explained like you’re 5.
The creative opportunities for language teachers have never been richer!
Now that AI tools are everywhere, the industry’s power balance is shifting. Duolingo’s monopoly is cracking, and finally we’re hearing less of polyglot method peddlers who reduced language learning down to a memory challenge. And thanks to AI’s hunger for content, it has helped us access smaller languages in new ways.
Will AI replace language teachers?
Not a chance. Language is connection, accomplishment, and curiosity – not a chance in the world for AI to kill that.
If I had one AI wish…
open AI usage data. Imagine the research opportunities if a company like OpenAI allowed access showing us how people around the world talk to AI models, what they ask, and how they communicate. This data belongs to all of us, not a clique of private enterprises.
Diversity is Good Disruption
I love the concept of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) for how it challenges the built-in elitism of English as a colonial overlord language. ELF brings together so many messages I deeply believe in: Turn away from prescriptivism, allow everyone’s language to thrive, and democratise how people communicate and learn.
We’re finally seeing real visibility for neurodivergent learners. With the rise of ADHD and autism awareness, a door has opened allowing us to focus on creativity and process instead of boring old compliance and correctness.
15 years into full-time language business ownership, I believe that the best years and opportunities are ahead of us.
Whether you’re claiming disruption as a marketing tactic or facing change in real life, the language industry keeps showing up with inventive, exciting new takes, and I’m here for it.
Read More:
3 Fresh AI Strategies For Language Teachers
This blog article was first written as a contribution to The Future of Languages. It’s out soon so stay tuned and sign up to my newsletter to be notified.
