With AI translation advancing rapidly, is there no need for primary and secondary school students to learn English?

In the age of AI, is it still worth the effort for primary and secondary school students—who already face a heavy academic workload—to learn English?

With the rapid advancement of real-time AI translation and potential seismic shifts in the future job market, some argue for reducing the weight of English in school curricula or even making it an elective subject. However, opponents warn that English remains a crucial tool for accessing top-tier AI models, studying abroad, and engaging with the international community; downplaying English education could actually widen the wealth gap.
In late August, Liaoning Province announced it would remove history, biology, and geography from the high school entrance exam scoring criteria to alleviate student burdens. Yet, mathematics teacher Tang Jiafeng argued that if a choice had to be made, English should be the subject “kicked out” of the core curriculum, allowing the time saved to be reallocated to subjects rooted in local culture, such as the native language and history.
Proponents of reducing the emphasis on English argue that AI translation can already handle most daily communication and that only a small minority of people truly need English for research or multinational work; therefore, students should devote more time to other subjects.

As youth unemployment rises and AI disrupts various industries, it is becoming increasingly difficult to reach a consensus on which skills will remain valuable after students graduate.
Xiong Bingqi, head of the 21st Century Education Research Institute in Shenzhen, points out that many students end up with “mute English”—capable of passing exams but unable to actually speak the language.
Those who oppose downgrading English argue that while AI translation aids in understanding foreign-language content, this does not render English proficiency valueless. Many of the world’s top universities still conduct classes in English, and a certain level of English proficiency remains essential for international travel, working across borders, and utilizing some of the most advanced AI models.