In the Age of A.I., Some in China Wonder if Learning English Is Worth the Trouble

A mathematics teacher in Chengdu, who posted a short video on a Chinese social‑media platform, found himself at the centre of a heated discussion about the place of English in modern China. The video, in which the teacher complained that he was “forced” to spend his evenings preparing English lessons for students, quickly went viral, prompting thousands of comments that ranged from supportive pleas for the preservation of Chinese cultural identity to arguments that English remains an essential tool in a globalised economy. The episode has reignited a broader debate about whether the language, once a symbol of Western influence, is still worth the effort for Chinese citizens in an era dominated by artificial intelligence and domestic technological advancement.The teacher’s post was a simple, thirty‑second clip filmed in his living room..

He explained that, despite his love for mathematics, he now spends “four or five hours a night” translating textbooks and creating English‑language exercises for his high‑school classes. He added that the workload left little time for family and personal interests. Within hours, the video had amassed over two million views and sparked a flood of replies that echoed a sentiment many younger Chinese feel: the pressure to master English is intense, but its practical benefits are increasingly uncertain.For many older generations, English has long been viewed as a passport to better education, higher salaries and the ability to engage with the world beyond China’s borders..

Since the Reform and Opening‑up policies of the late 1970s, fluency in English has been linked to opportunities abroad, access to scientific literature, and participation in international trade. State policies have reinforced this perception, with English compulsory from primary school through university in many provinces. The language has also become a marker of modernity, a credential that can differentiate job applicants in a competitive market.However, the rapid development of artificial intelligence, especially large language models capable of translating text and speech in real time, is reshaping the calculus..

Platforms such as Baidu’s Ernie and Tencent’s Hunyuan now offer near‑instant translation services that work across a range of dialects and technical domains. In corporate settings, multinational firms are increasingly relying on AI‑driven tools rather than human translators, reducing the need for staff to achieve native‑level proficiency. A recent survey by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences found that 42 percent of respondents believed AI would make English study “less crucial” within the next decade.Proponents of continued English education argue that, despite AI advances, the language still holds strategic value..

International scientific journals, for example, continue to publish primarily in English, and the ability to read original research without relying on machine translation can give scholars a competitive edge. Moreover, many diplomatic negotiations and high‑level business talks still occur in English, and fluency can facilitate cultural exchange that machines cannot fully replicate. In this view, the teacher’s burden is not an indictment of the language itself but a symptom of an education system that demands excessive workloads without providing adequate support.Critics, meanwhile, see the teacher’s experience as indicative of a deeper cultural tension..

The push for English learning, they argue, is a vestige of a colonial mindset that elevates Western knowledge at the expense of domestic innovation. They point out that China has made remarkable strides in fields such as quantum computing, renewable energy and space exploration, often publishing groundbreaking work in Chinese journals that are gaining international recognition. By insisting on English proficiency, some feel the nation risks undervaluing its own linguistic heritage and the growing body of Chinese‑language scholarship.The debate also reflects regional disparities..

In megacities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen, where multinational corporations and foreign consulates are clustered, English proficiency remains a decisive factor in hiring and promotion. Conversely, in interior provinces where local industries dominate, the demand for English is lower, and many parents now question whether the time and money spent on private tutoring could be better allocated to subjects like coding or robotics. A recent report by the Ministry of Education highlighted that enrollment in English after‑school programmes has declined by 15 percent over the past three years, suggesting a shift in parental priorities.Government officials have responded cautiously..

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Education acknowledged the pressures faced by teachers but reiterated that English will remain a core component of the national curriculum until at least 2035. The statement emphasized that the goal is not to impose “Western dominance” but to equip students with “global communication skills” that align with China’s “peaceful development” strategy. At the same time, the ministry announced plans to integrate AI‑assisted translation tools into classroom resources, hoping to alleviate the workload on educators while preserving language instruction.Industry leaders are watching the discourse closely..

Several Chinese tech firms have launched pilot programmes that blend AI translation with human oversight, aiming to create hybrid models where teachers focus on cultural nuances and critical thinking, while machines handle routine translation tasks. These initiatives are being promoted as a way to modernise language teaching without abandoning the pedagogical value of learning a second language. Analysts note that if such models succeed, they could redefine the role of English in Chinese education, shifting it from a compulsory skill to an optional supplement.The conversation sparked by a single teacher’s frustration illustrates the complex interplay between language, technology and identity in contemporary China..

While AI promises to lower the barriers that once made English indispensable, the language still carries symbolic weight and practical advantages that cannot be dismissed outright. As China continues to assert its influence on the world stage, the question of whether to invest heavily in English learning may ultimately hinge on how quickly and effectively AI can bridge linguistic gaps, and on how society balances the desire for global connectivity with the preservation of its own cultural and linguistic legacy..