Using an AI chatbot to practice new languages can be helpful, but it doesn’t replace speaking with an actual person

Approximately 30% of U.S. adults who were learning a language in 2025 reported that they were using artificial intelligence as a resource. People can use AI-powered chatbots, like ChatGPT and Gemini, to practice conversations in other languages, ask what an unfamiliar phrase means or get feedback on their writing. These apps and websites also offer voice features for speaking and listening in another language. But can someone learn a language with a chatbot alone? Research suggests that these tools can help learners build language skills, but there isn’t evidence that strictly using these apps is enough to become fluent in another language. That said, they can still offer a helping hand. Learning another language involves understanding what you hear and read, as well as knowing how to express yourself verbally and in writing. I study how chatbots can help someone practice these four skills in different ways. What learners can gain from chatbots depends on how they use them. Chatbots can help build language proficiency First, people can use the voice features in chatbots such as ChatGPT and Gemini to role-play conversations and practice speaking about different topics. People can practice for a job interview by answering questions about their experience, asking for feedback and trying different ways of expressing an unfamiliar phrase. Research suggests that practicing speaking with chatbots can help language learners become more fluent and accurate. People can repeat a conversation and try again after receiving feedback from the chatbot, giving them time and perhaps the confidence to work on unfamiliar expressions and recurring mistakes. Speaking another language can be stressful, especially when people worry about making mistakes in front of someone else. Some language learners report finding chatbot conversations less intimidating than interactions with people, and feeling they can experiment without worrying about being judged. Not being self-conscious may make people more willing to speak and keep practicing after they make a mistake. Chatbots can also support people as they draft a sentence or a paragraph in another language, and offer them feedback and revisions. Research suggests that these tools can help identify grammar errors and improve sentence structure and clarity. Immediate feedback can also encourage learners to revise more often. But the quality of the feedback that chatbots offer varies. A review of 51 studies on AI feedback in second-language writing found that this kind of feedback could contain errors or misinterpret the writer’s intended meaning. Some studies also reported that learners relied too heavily on AI, taking less control over decisions about their own writing. Chatbots work best, then, when learners consider which individual suggestions to use and why. For example, they can check whether a suggested change preserves their intended meaning, or ask a chatbot why it was recommended and try using what they learned from the feedback in a new sentence. People could also ask a voice-enabled chatbot to tell a short story or ask questions, then request that it repeat or rephrase anything they do not understand. In a study of university students in China, language learners practiced listening with ChatGPT and received feedback on their answers outside their regular English classes. Their English listening test scores improved more than those of students who used teacher-provided materials for that additional practice. Finally, chatbots can help someone work through difficult reading material in a foreign language. Research suggests that reading a simplified version first may help learners grasp the main idea and work out unfamiliar words. Approximately 30% of U.S. adults learning a new language said they have used AI to help them practice. Malorny/iStock via Getty Images Where chatbots fall short Chatbots can help people develop some language skills, but they still lack the cultural understanding, lived experience and emotional support that actual human beings bring to a conversation. For starters, chatbots may reflect cultural biases. A study of 10 language models compared their answers about the importance of work and religion, among other values, with human survey responses. The chatbots’ answers were generally closer to those of people from the Netherlands, Germany, the United States and Japan, even when asked to respond as someone from India or China. Some responses also relied on stereotypes. Asked to imagine an ideal job for a Dutch person, Gemini suggested leading bicycle tours past cheese factories, windmills and tulip fields. For language learners, this raises concerns that a chatbot may provide cultural information that is inaccurate, biased or oversimplified. Privacy matters, too. Companies providing chatbot services may record learners’ text and voice data. Practicing a job interview with real details about an employer, for example, could involve sharing confidential information with a chatbot. In a survey published in 2025, students who reported more positive experiences with chatbots also worried more about feeling disconnected from other people and lacking emotional support. In language learning, a 2026 study of 10 English teachers and 10 students at a university in Turkey explored their experiences using AI in the classroom. Some found it useful for teaching and learning, but their accounts also emphasized the importance of connecting with people. Existing research on using chatbots to learn a language also has limits. Studies in one review tested activities lasting from a single learning session to about four months of practice. Most studies involve adults, and English is by far the most studied language. Longer studies involving different ages of learners and an array of languages would help establish whether the benefits last and how widely they apply. Where teachers fit in As chatbots become more widely used, educators can help students evaluate their responses and make their own decisions about how to use them. For example, a teacher might ask students to write a draft, get feedback from a chatbot and explain why they accepted, adapted or rejected its suggestions. Teachers also build relationships based on trust and an understanding of students’ needs. They might talk through a difficult task with a discouraged student and offer encouragement to keep going. Teachers need training to make effective use of chatbots. This includes understanding how they work, recognizing their limitations and learning to design and select activities that meet students’ learning needs. Chatbots offer new ways to practice a language and build skills, but the evidence does not yet show that they are enough on their own. For now, their clearest value may be offering new opportunities to learn alongside teachers and other speakers.