Our Executive Function series features perspectives from leaders driving transformation through AI.
Speak is a language learning app that sets users on the path to fluency with the world's most advanced AI tutor. We spoke with Connor Zwick, CEO of Speak, about how AI is reshaping language learning, the breakthroughs enabling more natural AI tutors, and the challenges of scaling an AI startup in a rapidly evolving technical landscape.
What was your first meaningful encounter with AI and how did it shape your plans for Speak?
I think if I look back over the last 10+ years, there are a bunch of different moments that come to mind—things that really left an impression on me and changed the way I think about AI.
"We realized deep learning was going to be incredibly powerful. If you just had enough data, it could do amazing things and, in many cases, completely smash state of the art…"
When you set out to build that AI language tutor, how did you think about injecting AI into the platform in a way that felt natural to language learners?
For us, it was about how to integrate deep learning into the language learning experience. The first few years of Speak were focused on building really good speaking experiences. It was actually really obvious because, before us, language learning apps didn't really have speaking components…