Google’s new AI tools teach languages like a local
Google is releasing three new AI experiments to help people learn new languages through personalized lessons. The experiments, powered by Google’s multimodal large language model, Gemini, aim to provide a more dynamic and tailored learning experience.
The first experiment, “Tiny Lesson,” allows users to describe a situation and receive context-specific vocabulary and grammar tips. For example, users can input “finding a lost passport” and get suggestions for responses like “I don’t know where I lost it” or “I want to report it to the police.”
The “Slang Hang” experiment helps learners sound less formal and more like locals by generating realistic conversations between native speakers. Users can hover over unfamiliar terms to learn their meanings and usage. However, Google notes that the experiment may occasionally misuse slang or invent words, requiring users to verify the information with reliable sources.
The third experiment, “Word Cam,” uses the camera to teach new words based on the user’s surroundings. Gemini detects objects and labels them in the target language, providing additional vocabulary to describe the objects. For instance, users may learn the word for “blinds” in addition to “window.”
The new experiments support 18 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, and Spanish. The tools are available on Google Labs.
- Languages supported: Arabic, Chinese (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan), English (Australia, U.K., U.S.), French (Canada, France), German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Russian, Spanish (Latin America, Spain), and Turkish.