Parents are the best 🙂

Wow! What a story!

My parents were so supportive at that time. They have devoted everything (including all their savings) for my education and my future. However, I soon quitted the app because it did not worth the price.

I use Tandem as well, in fact, this is the app that made me realize that I wanted to be an English teacher. It started as a hobby, learning and teaching languages with a partner, but soon, I had gained too many friends from the app and had no time to concentrate on anyone or have productive conversations. Some Tandems (learning partners) offered to pay me for conversation practice and years later, I realize that it was this experience that propelled me to change careers completely. Until now (about 8 years later), I am still friends with two people I met through the app.

Thanks, Panda Girl! There are some pretty cool recommendations from your classmates in the comments below, which you might want to check out 🙂

Thanks, Iris! You are right that different apps serve different needs; and the speed at which new technologies develop is quite breath-taking …

Thanks, Arghavan! We mentioned Replika only yesterday, in this case of an American woman who has since “married” her Replika-built virtual boyfriend. Sounds like you were never in danger of going so far 😉
Never heard about the Wakie app, but it makes me feel old … the idea to be woken by a stranger and having to make conversation first thing in the morning sounds awful to me … who would voluntarily inflict that on themselves?!

Thanks, Carla! Clozemaster hasn’t been mentioned so far – can you tell us more about it?

You are right, Ally. The broader issue of our infatuation with so-called AI is the degradation of human relationships it entails … this is not only true for intimate relationship but applies to all kinds of domains, most perniciously perhaps to the world of work, where “AI” has degraded the quality of work for an army of gig workers.
You might enjoy this book – I found it a real eye-opener:
Merchant, B. (2023). Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech. London: Hachette.

Thanks for sharing your reflections! Do you think virtual reality can ever give us “true glances into language and culture”? Wouldn’t you agree that it’s artificial by definition?

For self-practicing language at intermediate levels and upper, learners are recommended to use such apps like Elsa Speak, Promova, BBC Learning English, British Council or Magoosh. Depending on which skills learners want to improve or based on personal aims, each application will give different features. Modern apps are now designing suitable and appropriate courses for each person via entrance quizzes.
Simulation speaking apps before 2015 are not working as well as those that are available right now. I believe the evolution of AI (as Elsa Speak app) helps a lot in blending daily life and culture topics more naturally into language lessons.

Wow I have not. Thank you for that article. However, I have read multiple stories of men who have done something similar though most don’t go as far as to get married. There are many silly movies of men falling in love with mannequins or dolls like Mannequin(1987), Her (2013) where he falls in love with a female voice on his phone, as well as AI based movies like Wifelike(2022). There was an episode on the popular sitcom Big Bang Theory where one of the characters fell in love with Siri. Cupid AI is another App that offers customized AI girlfriends. CNN did a profile on this four weeks ago called “Girlfriends “Ruining an Entire Generation of Men” based on research of these virtual girlfriend Apps during what they called an epidemic of loneliness and the real world consequences. Sometimes married life is complicated and I get the appeal (joking). However, I find it deeply troubling and sad that so many people are missing out on learning to develop and enjoy real authentic intimacy and emotional intelligence, learn to communicate and resolve differences and challenges. Despite all the difficulties, occasional stressors and relationship challenges, there is so much to learn , enjoy and gain from the many benefits of long term love and commitment with someone you can look in the eye, smell , touch, laugh with and hug every day.