African American student watching online lesson on tablet pc while studying at table with other students in the library
Amidst the wave of emerging technologies in 2026, the country has slowly been attempting to keep up, incorporate and adapt to new systems like AI (artificial intelligence) platforms.
Users across Joburg share their personal experiences using an AI language-learning application with The Citizen after attending online lessons over time. Observing whether AI learning-based applications like Duolingo are becoming more effective than classrooms.
However, Johan Steyn, an AI expert and tech commentator, suggests that both can be used as complementary tools to uplift and further educate South Africans.
What is Duolingo?
Duolingo is a science-backed mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) application available on all devices, offering various language courses to users keen to learn.
This mobile application offers lessons in various languages using AI features to teach users how to speak the language they are interested in learning.
“Its flagship app has organically become the world’s most popular way to learn languages and the top-grossing app in the Education category on both Google Play and the Apple App Store,” according to Duolingo.
User Responses: ‘It’s repetition’
Lesley Lombaard is a 22-year-old student from Benoni who tried to learn Russian from the Duolingo application for a few months, and said it was not as effective in teaching him the language because he did not learn much.
“Sometimes you pick up on words because it’s repetition.”
“The app is good for repetition and sentence structure, but once you go past the modules, you tend to forget because they move on so quickly,” he says.
Despite practising repetitive words, Lesley still cannot have a full conversation in the language. Regardless, he has picked up on a few words that continue to show up during lessons, even though he does not remember everything that he has learned.
“I did it [downloaded the app to learn] because I[t] got recommended. But honestly, I would rather have a teacher sit with me. I didn’t find it as useful as everyone claims it is.”
‘Easy to fly under the radar’
Natalia Da Silva is a 23-year-old student from Glenanda, who has been learning how to speak Portuguese from the application for around two and a half years, going on three now.
Da Silva says that she uses the Duolingo platform daily and can converse depending on the topic.
“The app is beneficial for understanding, it’s crucial to speak aloud and engage in conversations where possible.”
For many, installing this app is more about convenience in the ability to immediately find lessons because the phone is on hand.
While also being able to access language learning modules on your own terms and time.
Natalia says that there are a few reasons why she chose learning from an app over booking a class and having to bear the additional travelling costs that come with that.
“There’s essentially no cost, and it was and still is a surprise for my parents some days -since my dad is Portuguese,” she laughs as she notes this.
The app is seen as a tool to quickly learn and impress peers with lingo that is accessible by the simple tap of a button.
“So, it’s easy to fly under the radar and use the app.”
Usability and Ease
Nicola Baatjies is a 20-year-old student based in Booysens and has a 482-day streak of consistent lessons on the app. Baatjies has been learning how to speak Japanese since 2021. She says she practices every day but only knows the basics.
“I know the basics for an entry-level conversation or to ask directions.”
“I can learn at any time and at any place I prefer. It reduces the pressure of learning from someone to being able to make mistakes comfortably.”
Keeping streaks can also be seen as a reward for consistency on the application when users consistently show up for their daily linguistic practice.
While using technology and advanced AI systems like “Duolingo’s Roleplay and Explain My Answer features.” The application provides learners with engaging activities to educate them on the language of interest.
AI learning or traditional classrooms?
According to Johan Steyn, learning from apps like Duolingo is not effective in mastering a language because they are difficult to learn if you do not speak it with people every day.
“My whole life, I would have loved to learn Zulu. And I have read some books and watched some videos.”
“But I just find that, unless you speak to people every day, in the community.”
“There is no way you’re gonna really learn a new language.”
Although he admits to never having personally used the Duolingo application, he does know about it, along with several other online teaching apps that are affordable, even freely available and just as helpful in certain aspects of learning languages.
He says that the app may be useful when planning a trip to Italy for basic greetings and protocols.
“It probably will help you.”
“But I personally don’t think you can really master a language by doing it online and not speaking to people every day.”
AI as an additional learning tool
Steyn suggests that incorporating both aspects of online learning programmes as a tool in addition to traditional education is important.
Especially in a society where there is a digital divide, high unemployment, and low literacy rates, amongst many other economic factors.
“Because education is often very expensive, it’s not easily accessible for most people in rural areas, in the country.”
“And there are some ways to use AI, and even YouTube, and ChatGPT, to really help educate yourself and your children.”
He says that as long as you have a fairly good data connection and a good phone, that is all that matters to be able to access these learning tools. But what about those who do not?
“Now, just those two points already cut off half of the people in our country because people live in a shack. They have one phone that’s 20 years old .”
“And then the second thing is, do people even know how to use it?”
Steyn expressed that teachers are also outnumbered in classrooms of around 40 plus children per class. These platforms serve as a gateway to freely accessible information that can be used to uplift learners and parents equally.
Advanced systems and tools to educate
Referencing an experience with his 12-year-old son, who, on the other side of the spectrum, has access to a good internet connection along with the knowledge he has about AI systems.
He created an agent in ChatGPT, “and you can probably do it too, using other AI platforms like Gemini, etc.”
“I uploaded his course material from Google Classroom. It recognises that it’s in Afrikaans, our native language.”
“It recognises his age, and then, in a voice interaction, it gives him a Socratic course teaching.”
Meaning that you are guided to the answer without just giving it to you. He made an example of using a prompt to teach a Geography course to a grade six student in two minutes.
“He[ the son] can interrupt it [the AI agent] at any time, and it explains the course to him.”
Thereafter, he is asked a series of 20 questions, and if he gets it wrong, the AI agent will let him know.
“No, this is not quite right, but it is a great try. Maybe think about this angle,”
Modern learning has now advanced to a point where students can be taken through courses, where AI features available on platforms can serve as complementary education alongside learning in the traditional setting of a classroom.
