Talkpal — how a Georgian AI startup is changing the way the world learns languages

In an extremely fast-paced world, in which hundreds of language-learning apps compete for attention, an ambitious Georgian startup is rewriting the rules.

Talkpal, an AI-powered ‘digital tutor’, launched in 2023 by an entirely Georgian team, has already attracted over 8 million users, who are picking up over 80 languages worldwide.

Its idea is simple: language is not actually learned through only tapping right answers on a screen. It is learned by speaking, thinking, and making mistakes — all done in situations that feel realistic.

An AI language teacher

Talkpal is, basically, an AI language teacher.

It’s accessible through both a desktop — accessible for those stealing a few minutes from work or operating from a work station at home — and an easily manageable mobile app.

Here’s how it works: first, you register, then choose which language (or languages) you want to master, then you indicate the level of your command of that language and… that’s basically it.

Then comes the interesting part: Talkpal provides nine different learning models based on your preference – chat, sentence, word, and dialogue modes for beginners, and call, roleplays, characters, debates, and photo modes for more advanced ones. The company also offers budget-friendly, competitive subscription plans for premium content.

While some modes are designed to improve basic reading and writing skills, some focus on listening and speaking — with a few of them tailored specifically to enrich the user's vocabulary.

Why choose Talkpal?

A number of ‘traditional’ apps treat language study as a game of memorisation using pre-scripted exercises.

The fundamental difference between them and Talkpal is that the latter treats the process as a simulation of reality using generative AI.

‘Talkpal focuses primarily on “active output”, forcing you to formulate your own thoughts and speak voice-to-voice in real-time’, David Gegechkori, one of the co-founders of Talkpal, says.

This effectively means receiving feedback on not simply whether an answer is correct, but on how natural or fluent the phrasing is.

‘Instead of multiple-choice questions, Talkpal acts as an infinitely adaptable native AI tutor that challenges you with roleplays, debates, and open-ended conversations, providing instant feedback on natural phrasing rather than just binary right-or-wrong corrections’, Gegechkori he adds.

The co-founders’ disillusionment with traditional methods was exactly why Talkpal was born.

The idea, they remember, emerged as an alternative to expensive private lessons, unengaging materials, and rigid programmes that fail to adapt to individual needs.

How AI changes language learning

‘The rise of Artificial Intelligence and the development of Large Language Models (LLMs) created a new opportunity to make studying personal and affordable’, Talkpal’s co-founder Dimitri Dekanozishvili says.

[Fact box: LLMs are mostly generative pre-trained transformers (GPTs) that provide the core capabilities of modern chatbots].

The team, however, started developing the app right before the worldwide AI boom. Soon, demand for it grew after they realised that the ‘newest AI tools for text and voice could make learning truly unique’, as Dekanozishvili puts it.

But this doesn’t mean that AI, as such, will replace human teachers altogether — rather it will help teachers guide and enrich the process.

‘In the next three to five years, we expect AI to become a standard tool for practice tasks like conversation practice', Dekanozishvili says.

‘Over the longer term, schools that integrate AI for roleplays and simulations will likely be more successful’, he argues.

Building in and from Georgia

Talkpal was built entirely by a Georgian team, leading a charge in the new wave of Georgia’s tech innovation.

‘Our main goal was to set a new example for the technology sector in Georgia`, – Gegechkori said. ‘We wanted to prove that a Georgian team has the skills to build a top-quality product right here at home. By creating an app that competes globally and serves millions of people, we are demonstrating that Georgian talent can be successful on the world stage`, – he added.

"We also want to help popularise Georgian around the world. By doing this, we are also making a statement that our platform is committed to offering all languages, including those that are less popular and often missing from other apps’, Dekanozishvili highlights.

Going forward

What stands out is the internal culture of the company, defined by the team as highly flexible, open-minded, and naturally curious.

They pride themselves on ‘cultivating an environment with the unique opportunity to tackle complex problems while having direct access to the very latest AI tools to drive innovation’.

As it’s expanding, Talkpal is constantly looking for exceptional developers, designers, marketers, and content creators to broaden and enhance the team with diverse perspectives.

They say they need team members who are ‘ready to face global challenges and share our ambition to build a world-class product directly from Georgia’.

The ambition behind Talkpal is as large as the problem it addresses: to become the world’s leading AI language platform —  one that transforms the way people learn languages through immersive, context-driven conversations and adaptive learning technology.