Google Translate adds real-time AI Live Translate and Practice beta

Google announced this week that its Translate app is gaining AI powered real time conversation and language practice tools that the company says will make two way spoken exchanges and targeted lessons more natural and accessible. The updates, which Google is rolling out on Android and iOS, introduce a Live Translate mode for spoken conversations in more than 70 languages and a beta Practice feature that generates tailored listening and speaking exercises for learners.

The Live Translate tool lets users tap a Live translate button, select languages and speak; the app will display transcripts in both languages and speak the translation aloud. Google said its Gemini family of AI models and upgraded voice and speech recognition enable the app to detect conversational pauses, accents and intonations, and to isolate participant voices from background noise, allowing the feature to work in busy places such as airports and cafes. The company said the capability is initially available for users in the United States, India and Mexico, and supports languages including Arabic, French, Hindi, Korean, Spanish and Tamil.

Alongside that offering, Google is piloting a Practice mode described as...