ByDORON KORNBLUTHJULY 20, 2026 11:53In the months following October 7, many Israelis reached the same conclusion: we should have spent more time learning Arabic.The argument seemed obvious. Had more Israelis understood Arabic, perhaps we would have better understood Palestinian society, its media, its culture, and maybe even some of the warning signs that so many missed – including at the highest levels.Whether or not one accepts that conclusion, it raises a fascinating question that extends far beyond Israel’s borders: For the first time in human history, understanding a language and speaking a language may no longer be the same thing.Artificial intelligence is quietly challenging one of education’s oldest assumptions. For thousands of years, if you wanted to understand other people, you had to learn their language. That was simply the price of admission. Is it still?For generations, much of the world has treated foreign language study as an essential part of a well-rounded education. Students spend hundreds of hours memorizing vocabulary, conjugating verbs, and practicing conversations.AI and computing, illustrative image. (credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)In many places, it has worked remarkably well. According to the 2024 Eurobarometer survey, 59% of Europeans can hold a conversation in at least one foreign language, while 28% can converse in two or more. Among Europeans aged 15-24, an astonishing 79% can converse in at least one foreign language. In countries like the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Luxembourg, and Malta, multilingualism is almost expected.Elsewhere, the picture is very different. In countries like Hungary and Italy, foreign language skills are much lower. According to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, despite years of study, most American students complete two to four years of language instruction with only novice or intermediate-low proficiency. Only a small minority become genuinely conversational.Israel has had mixed results in this area. According to Israel’s National Institute for Testing & Evaluation, despite years of compulsory English instruction, less than one-third of Israelis can converse fluently in English. Fewer than one in 10 Jewish Israelis speak Arabic fluently.Why do some countries succeed while others struggle? Researchers point to many factors: necessity, early exposure, teaching methods, cultural attitudes, and opportunities to use the language. Above all, however, motivation seems to matter. People learn languages when they need them.That is precisely what AI is beginning to change.The issue isn’t simply that AI translates. It does something far more significant: it explains idioms, historical references, religious concepts, humor, political symbolism, emotional tone, and competing interpretations. It translates and gives context in real time.Indeed, within a few years – perhaps even sooner – AI may provide a deeper understanding of contemporary Palestinian discourse than the average graduate of four years of high school Arabic.Star Trek’s Universal Translator is no longer science fiction. It is increasingly becoming available to all, for free. With high-level free simultaneous translations, we’ll soon be able to “understand” and fully “speak” with our neighbors without actually understanding a word they say.That should force us to ask a new question. If AI can increasingly provide not only the words, but also the context behind those words, what exactly should language education seek to accomplish? Considering the tremendous time and effort necessary to master other languages, and the new AI alternatives, why should we even bother learning them?There is, of course, great value to genuine fluency. Jewish tradition has long valued multilingualism. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 17b–18a) praises a Sanhedrin whose judges understood multiple languages so they could hear testimony directly rather than rely on translators. Accuracy mattered. Nuance mattered.Those who master another language gain direct access to literature, relationships, humor, poetry, and ways of thinking that no machine can fully replicate. Diplomats, intelligence officers, journalists, scholars, and countless others will always benefit enormously from speaking other languages.Languages remain valuable. However, perhaps the real question is whether schools should continue teaching them in the same way, for the same reasons, in an age when machines increasingly “do it better” than 90% of us ever will. I don’t pretend to know the answer.But we should perhaps revisit our assumptions. For the first time, it is becoming possible to understand another language remarkably well – and to communicate accurately with others, in real time – without ever truly speaking it.This transformation should get us talking – in whatever language you prefer.The writer is a bestselling author (Why Be Jewish?, Cremation or Burial? A Jewish View, both from Mosaica Press), international speaker, and licensed Israeli tour guide.Follow us on Google