Learning English with AI. What It Can’t Teach You About Confidence

Do you use AI to check your English, and still never feel good enough? In this conversation, I’m joined by English coach and author Daniele Ponzo to talk about learning a language with AI, and what it can and can’t do for your confidence. Daniele moved to Ireland with very little English, long before ChatGPT existed. He tells me how he survived those first months: a picture dictionary, bus drivers who couldn’t understand his textbook pronunciation, and collapsing on the sofa after work because his brain was exhausted from a day in English. We talk about whether AI would have made it easier, and the skills he thinks he’d never have built if it had, like asking someone to slow down or repeat themselves and finding out it isn’t the end of the world. We also get into how we both use AI with our clients, why it never seems to think you’re good enough, and whether it’s going to replace teachers and coaches. Daniele has a lovely way of explaining it with a boat. I share my own plateau in Spanish, what AI told me about my progress, and what a Spanish friend heard that the AI completely missed. Daniele’s advice at the end is simple: use AI, but use it wisely, and work out whether what’s holding you back is the language or something else. As he puts it, “if it’s mental block, I doubt AI will unlock you.” Chapters 0:00 Welcome back, Daniele 3:04 From IT in Ireland to English coach 7:28 Surviving in English before AI 10:41 A picture dictionary and Dublin bus drivers 12:42 Would AI have helped? 16:46 The skills AI can’t give you 18:36 How we use AI with our clients 20:41 Why AI says you’re never good enough 21:17 Will AI replace teachers and coaches? 22:55 Why you still need someone to drive the boat 24:41 Getting by with Google Translate 26:00 My Spanish plateau 28:45 What AI said and what a real person heard 30:10 Daniele’s client and her first voice message in English 31:03 Where to find Daniele 31:54 Advice if you rely on AI for your English 33:34 Thanks and goodbye This is Speak English with Confidence, previously ‘From Lost to the River’, a show about language, identity, and what it really takes to speak with confidence. More conversations, coaching options, and my book More Than Words: Essays on Language, Identity, and the Courage to Speak at https://procoachenglish.com About Daniele Ponzo Daniele is an Italian-born English coach who works with IT and tech professionals who need to perform in international meetings, presentations and interviews. He spent 13 years working in IT in Ireland, where he learned English the hard way, and now helps others do it faster. He’s the author of 'Easy English for IT' and host of the video podcast 'The Non-Native Leader'. About Daniele Ponzo: Daniele is an Italian-born English coach who works with IT and tech professionals who need to perform in international meetings, presentations and interviews. He spent 13 years working in IT in Ireland, where he learned English the hard way, and now helps others do it faster. He’s the author of 'Easy English for IT' (which you can more about here on his website: https://danieleponzo.com/easy-english...) and host of the video podcast 'The Non-Native Leader'. Find Daniele Website: https://danieleponzo.com/ LinkedIn:   / daniele-ponzo   Find me Connect with me on Substack: https://substack.com/@thecouragetospeak Website: https://procoachenglish.com 🧭 Watch next: 👉 Shawshank Redemption & Passive Learning:    • Shawshank Redemption & Passive Learning   👉 Why Misunderstandings in English Aren’t Your Fault:    • Why Misunderstandings in English Aren’t Yo...   Check out Daniele's podcast 'The Non-Native Leader' here:    / @danieleponzo      / @danieleponzo   Buy his book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/EASY-ENGLISH-c... ________________________________________ #LearnEnglish #AIForLanguageLearning #EnglishConfidence #SpeakEnglishWithConfidence #LanguageLearning