ESTsoft (CEO Chung Sang-won), a company specializing in AI services, announced on the 31st that it has produced online English pronunciation lessons with an 'AI English teacher' capable of speaking both English and Korean, together with foreign language education company YBM (CEO Huh Moon-ho), and will provide them to elementary schools nationwide from November.
The AI English teachers the two companies developed are a male-female pair named 'James' and 'Michelle'. They were produced using ESTsoft's AI Persona technology, which generates people who do not exist. Above all, they carry bilingual speech technology developed in-house by ESTsoft, so both James and Michelle speak English and Korean at native level.
The two companies expect this first application of AI humans to public school English classes to help elementary students learn accurate basic English pronunciation. Today's elementary students are the so-called 'Alpha generation', who have grown up experiencing technological change, so AI human technology can draw out greater interest and engagement.
Planned by a specialist in English phonics (a pronunciation-centered language teaching method), the lessons are delivered through 'Y Cloud', YBM's teacher resource support site. Any certified teacher can use them in class.
ESTsoft CEO Chung Sang-won said: "We are delighted to offer teachers and students a better way to learn through our AI technology," adding, "We will think harder about how AI humans can be used for socially valuable work, and expand our services accordingly."
The two companies have been collaborating actively on bringing AI humans into the education industry, including introducing an AI TOEIC Speaking instructor capable of speaking Korean and English in January.