From live speech translation in video calls to auto-dubbing on TikTok, the technology to dissolve language barriers has arrived. Real-time translation powered by artificial intelligence (AI) is now embedded in everyday life. Tools from OpenAI, Meta, Google and many others now offer near-instant translation across dozens of languages, and they keep improving. All this raises a vital question. If machines can do this faster and more accurately than humans, is investing years in learning another la