Gen Z chooses real fluency over AI shortcuts, new Babbel research reveals

New research from language-learning platform Babbel suggests that even as AI-powered translation tools become part of everyday travel, Americans — and Gen Z in particular — still see genuine value in learning a language themselves.

The research found that 41% of Americans hope, when they go abroad, that people will speak enough English to get by, while another 20% expect people in foreign countries to speak English. More than four in ten said that as English is spoken more widely around the world, they feel less inclined to learn a different language.

At the same time, real-time translation is reshaping how Americans think about language learning. 23% said translation apps allow them to have a more meaningful interaction than if they had learned the language — only two percentage points behind those who said the same of learning a language themselves. 29% said the rise of real-time translation has led them to put less effort into learning a language than before, and 12% said language learning is increasingly unnecessary.

Xavier Anguera, Senior Vice President of AI for Language Learning at Babbel, said: “At the same time, our research shows that people still value the deeper connection that comes from speaking a language themselves. Elements like tone, body language and cultural nuance play an important role in how we communicate, and these are often what turn an interaction into a meaningful experience for language learners.”

Despite the growing reliance on translation tech, Americans still cite deeply human reasons for wanting to learn a language. Almost 60% said managing situations while abroad was a motivation, 56% pointed to respect for the culture they were visiting, and 54% said they wanted to interact with people without a screen forming a barrier to connection.

The picture is particularly striking among Gen Z, who are simultaneously the heaviest users of translation technology and the most committed to learning a language. 46% of Gen Z Americans said they are more committed to learning a language now than they were 12 months ago, and they are the most likely age group to prepare for a trip by learning the local dialect. 54% also said they use live-translation regularly — suggesting the two behaviours are complementary rather than competing.

“What we are seeing is that AI is not replacing language learning, but complementing it,” Anguera continued. “By lowering the barrier to entry and giving people more confidence to engage, tools like Google Translate are encouraging more learners to take the next step, build their skills and connect more deeply with other cultures.”