Google Introduces Brand New AI Tool For English Learners

A brand-new “Speaking practice” feature in Search that assists users in improving their conversations in English is being tested by search giant Google. The feature is accessible to English language learners in Argentina, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Venezuela who have enrolled in Search Labs, the company’s program that allows users to test out early-stage Google Search experiences.

The experiment’s objective, according to Google, is to assist users become more fluent in English by having them participate in interactive language learning activities driven by AI that will enable them to apply new terms in context.

Speaking exercise expands on a feature that Google introduced in October to assist English language learners in becoming more proficient speakers of the language. Speaking practice adds the element of back-and-forth conversational practice, even though the function was introduced last year and allows English learners to practice speaking phrases in context while receiving feedback on grammar and clarity. An X user initially noticed the feature and posted screenshots showing it in use.

The way speaking practice works is by posing a conversational question to the user, to which they must provide a specific response. The screenshots suggest that the AI might inform the user that they desire to be in shape and then ask, “What should I do?” – a possible scenario. Next, the user would have to respond by using the terms “exercise,” “heart,” and “tired.”

The purpose of this feature is to assist English learners in conversing in the language and learning how to use words correctly.

With the release of this new functionality, Google appears to be setting the stage for a serious rival to language learning applications such as Duolingo and Babbel. Google has already experimented with educational and language-learning resources. Google introduced a service that let users practice pronouncing words correctly back in 2019.