Here we are, at what seems to be the very beginning of a new era – the era of AI. All the fuss about how great or awful it is might have already reached you, and if you are in a job that might be directly affected by this brave new thing, you are definitely not alone.

I am an English teacher and have been one for quite some time. I remember the time when online education took off and became a fixture in countless people’s lives, including mine. There was, and still is, debate about the pros and cons of this, and rightly so. But this new chapter is somewhat different, isn’t it? Now that a language learner can easily access an AI tutor and equip themselves with “all the right” tools, is there still a place for the good old teacher or tutor?

My definitive answer, after a lot of consideration, would be: absolutely yes.

And to all of you who agree, disagree, or are undecided, here is my reasoning behind it. It might cheer you up if you feel worried, ground you a little if you have been carried away by all the excitement and buzz, and give you a new perspective that may help you look at things differently.