Traveling to a French-speaking country? Well, worry no more since there is already a new way to learn to speak French with a robot.
The language-learning platform Duolingo is introducing chatbots wherein users can learn new languages.
The chatbots, is an AI-powered and language-learning app that offers a way to have conversations while you're trying to learn French, German and Spanish.
In the interim, that's a short list of languages, but Duolingo says more options are now a work in progress.
Chatbots can engage in conversations with users, allowing for a more engaging ways to learn a new language.
The chatbots come in a range of characters, from a restaurant chef to a coffee shop barista, to replicate common situations travelers would be likely to find themselves in.
Communication with the bots happens through text and voice pronunciation.
According to Engadget, Duolingo gave these bots a bit of personality to make them more like real people and created them to be flexible with the answers they'll accept when there's multiple ways for you to respond.
As users converse with the bots, they will get a series of questions and reactions. There's also a help option if a phrase is too difficult.
Currently, you can only interact with the chatbots via text, but the company does have plans to add spoken conversations in the future.
According to Gina Gotthilf, Duolingo's Vice President of Growth and Marketing, "Based on our own experiences and what we hear from our users, we know that one of the biggest difficulties is translating what you learn in a book or class on a language into conversations."
"Memorizing phrases about a coffee shop and actually speaking in a coffee shop are two very different things, with the bots giving people a way to practice those interactions," Gotthilf added.
Conversations start at a beginner level; nonetheless, the company may add an option to start at a more advanced level soon.
Duolingo is initially launching this internet-based language app exclusively on iOS. According to its developers, an Android version, as well as the ability to converse with the bots through voice conversations, will be available soon.
