Language has always been humanity’s most powerful tool—a bridge connecting people, a marker of identity, and, at times, a weapon for division. From the biblical myth of Babel to the rise of global empires, and now into the age of artificial intelligence, the evolution of communication tells a story of ambition, diversity, and resilience. I want to explore how language has shaped our world and examine how AI might transform the way we communicate in the future.
Language plays a central role in human history.
It has united us, driven us to great achievements, and at times, it has divided us. The story of the Tower of Babel in the Bible is one of the earliest accounts that addresses the origin of linguistic diversity. In the story, humanity, united by a single language, sought to build a city and a tower that reached the heavens—an ambitious project representing human unity and pride. In response, God “confused their language,” ensuring they could no longer understand one another. Without a common language, their cooperation broke down, and humanity scattered across the earth. This story, while mythological, captures the power of language as both a tool for collective achievement and as a force that, when divided, can halt even the most ambitious of human endeavours.
Anthropologically, linguistic diversity is likely to have evolved organically. Around 100,000 to 200,000 years ago, early Homo sapiens likely communicated through a proto-language—a rudimentary system of sounds and gestures. As humans migrated out of Africa, this single language began to fragment into distinct tongues. Geographic isolation played a major role in this evolution. Populations that settled in different regions were separated by physical barriers like mountains, rivers, and oceans, which prevented interaction. Over generations, their languages evolved separately, leading to the thousands of unique linguistic systems we see today. Cultural adaptation also influenced language development; for example, tonal languages like Vietnamese and Yoruba may have developed in dense forests because pitch variations carried better through thick vegetation.
Indeed, some tribal communities living in dense forests do not intuitively understand how straight lines can represent a 3D box. Their environments rarely feature straight lines or right angles, which means the concept of linear perspective—a foundational element of drawing in many other cultures—is foreign to them. This highlights how environmental experience shapes visual perception and interpretation, and inevitably shapes language.
In another example, the Indigenous languages of Alaska, particularly among Inuit and Yupik speakers, lack a specific word for “black.” This reflects how cultural priorities, environment, and daily life influence vocabulary.
In Arctic regions, contrasts in light and colour are more significant than “black” as an abstract colour. Words for snow, ice, and shades of white and blue are plentiful, highlighting their importance for survival. “Black” is described relationally—such as “soot” or “absence of light”—indicating a focus on function rather than abstraction. This absence shows how language emphasises concepts relevant to daily life.
Language is also a powerful marker of social identity. Throughout history, distinct dialects have helped groups assert their uniqueness and differentiate themselves from rivals. Even today, regional accents and slang convey belonging and social identity. As human societies grew and interacted, certain languages gained prominence due to trade, conquest, or cultural influence. Languages like Latin, Arabic, Mandarin, and later English became dominant, shaping global communication.
Colonialism introduced a new dynamic to the evolution of language.
During the colonial era, colonial powers like Britain, Spain, France, and Portugal spread their languages through administration, education, and trade. This led to the forced imposition of languages on colonised populations, often at the expense of indigenous tongues. Indigenous languages were suppressed, marginalised, or blended into new forms like Creole. The spread of lingua francas like English, Spanish, and French created global bridges, facilitating communication across different regions. However, it also led to the extinction of many indigenous languages. The colonisation of the Americas, for example, resulted in the rapid disappearance of numerous Native American languages.
The Industrial Revolution and globalisation further accelerated these trends. With the advent of mass media, telegraphy, and later radio and television, dominant languages became even more entrenched. By the 20th century, English had become the de facto global language, connecting billions of people but also threatening linguistic diversity. Over 40% of the world’s languages are now endangered, with speakers shifting to more dominant languages. At the same time, globalisation enabled richer cultural exchanges. English, for instance, has absorbed countless words from other languages, such as “bungalow” from Hindi, “algebra” from Arabic, and “safari” from Swahili, reflecting a complex interplay of influence and adaptation.
Philosophers and science fiction writers have long speculated on the role of language in shaping thought and society. Ludwig Wittgenstein famously stated, “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” For Wittgenstein, language is not merely a means of describing reality but a framework that shapes how we perceive it. This raises questions about the dominance of certain languages—does it limit the diversity of thought by imposing a single framework on how we interpret the world?
The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, which suggests that the structure of a language influences its speakers’ worldview, also speaks to this idea. For instance, a culture with numerous words for snow, like the Inuit, may perceive and categorise snow in ways that a culture with only one word cannot. This hypothesis implies that the dominance of English could homogenise global thought and reduce the richness of cultural perspectives.
Science fiction has often explored these ideas in imaginative ways.
In The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams introduced the Babel Fish, a creature that could instantly translate any language. While this eliminated language barriers, Adams humorously noted that it led to more conflict—suggesting that misunderstandings are not always the primary cause of human disagreement. In Arrival, a film based on Ted Chiang’s Story of Your Life, the protagonist learns an alien language that fundamentally changes her perception of time. This exploration of the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis shows how language shapes cognition in profound and unexpected ways.
As artificial intelligence evolves, it offers transformative possibilities for communication.
Tools like Google Translate have already made language barriers less daunting, but the next generation of AI could take this much further, potentially preserving and celebrating linguistic diversity rather than flattening it. Advanced AI could be trained to recognise the subtle differences in dialects, idioms, and cultural norms, ensuring translations are precise and culturally appropriate. Imagine an AI that understands not just formal and informal Japanese, but also regional dialects, accurately conveying humour or sarcasm. Such advances could reinforce linguistic diversity by allowing people to communicate across languages without losing the cultural nuances that make each language unique. Meta and Apple have visions that take us into the realms of living in a parallel virtual world, perhaps like Ready Player One, where our interactions with each other are through an interface that augments life, in one respect removing barriers, while also physically isolating users, even while sat with one another! Less cumbersome real time translation systems are already commercially available that utlise earbuds – less slimy than a Babel Fish. And who knows what the future holds with emerging technologies such as Neuralink, founded in 2016 by Elon Musk and a team of scientists and engineers. Neuralink is the neurotechnology company developing implantable brain–computer interfaces (BCIs). Their primary goal is to create devices that enable direct communication between the human brain and external technologies, aiming to assist individuals with neurological conditions and, eventually, enhance human capabilities. This, in its own right raises serious questions about the potential evolutionary route humankind may take as we augment our intelligence or enroll into a hive mind.
AI holds promise for language preservation.
Many of the world’s languages are endangered, but AI tools could document these languages, create teaching resources, and even simulate how they might have evolved if they had continued to be spoken. Projects like Google’s Endangered Languages Project or various indigenous language apps are early examples of how technology can aid in preserving linguistic heritage.
However, the rise of AI in communication is not without its pitfalls. Over-reliance on technology for translation could lead to a decline in multilingual skills, eroding the deep cultural empathy and cognitive flexibility that comes from learning another language. Multilingualism not only fosters greater empathy by allowing individuals to experience different cultural contexts firsthand, but it also enhances cognitive abilities such as problem-solving and creativity. For example, studies have shown that bilingual individuals are often better at multitasking and exhibit delayed onset of dementia compared to monolinguals, highlighting the broader benefits of maintaining multilingual skills. Human multilingualism fosters a kind of cultural understanding that machines might struggle to replicate. Furthermore, AI systems are only as good as the data they are trained on. If certain languages or dialects are underrepresented, their speakers might be excluded or misinterpreted. This could reinforce existing power dynamics, where minority languages are further marginalised. There is also the risk that large corporations developing AI systems might prioritise profit over accessibility, restricting advanced translation tools to those who can afford them and deepening global inequalities. For example, when Google first launched some of its advanced AI services, they were initially available only to paying customers, creating a significant barrier for marginalised communities who could not afford the costs.
But it is also possible to flip this argument. What if the lingua francas mentioned earlier, English, Spanish, and French become less prevalent as AI enhanced technology offers an alternative method to speaking a common language? There would be no need to abandon the regional languages despite the role urbanisation plays in diluting culture in developing nations on the African continent.
We could even go full circle and see a reversal to the trend of diminishing languages. There could be a rapid dynamic emergence of millions of new “micro dialects”, slang terms and even brand new whole languages in an attempt to thwart AI in an effort to restore privacy from invasive future technologies, especially when billions cameras and microphones in AI driven devices could see and hear our every communication – think HAL 9000 from from 2001: A Space Odyssey, or just about any oppressive government, or rogue tech companies of the future competing for ultimate population control.
The future?
The biblical scattering of languages at Babel offers one perspective on the origins of linguistic diversity, emphasising a moment of divine intervention. Scientific and historical explanations suggest that linguistic diversity evolved organically over thousands of years due to human migration, geographic isolation, and cultural adaptation. Both perspectives highlight the rich linguistic and cultural diversity we celebrate today. AI has the potential to bridge those divides in ways unimaginable to our ancestors, fostering greater understanding while preserving our differences. However, it will take careful thought and ethical action to ensure this technology is used wisely. To navigate this future, we must invest in AI systems that respect and preserve cultural nuances, use AI as a complement to—not a replacement for—human learning and connection, and address inequalities in access to linguistic tools, ensuring that all voices, no matter how small, are heard.
The story of language is one of both unity and diversity, of bridges and barriers. With AI, we have the opportunity to rebuild the tower—not as a monument to human hubris, but as a testament to humanity’s ability to connect across divides and celebrate the richness of our varied cultures.
The biblical account of the Tower of Babel may have been prescient about human nature. Unity without checks can lead to overreach, while division can spur creativity and resilience. AI, like the tower, represents a tool that amplifies human potential—but it also magnifies our flaws.
So, here’s a question for you: If AI is the new Tower of Babel, do we dismantle it, modify it, or ascend carefully—one ethical step at a time? Or will the tower simply come crashing down as it ascends beyond the capability of its foundations, ending once again in scattered tongues?
