INFLUENCE Winter 2024: A Publication of Cornerstone University

A NEW VOCABULARY
Linguistics Students Selected to Consult on AI Language Learning Solution
For Dr. Michael Pasquale and his senior
linguistics students, the fall 2023 semester
provided a new learning lab for asking
critical questions about the future of AI
technology and participating in the cultural
mandate outlined in Genesis 1:27-28.
While completing the final requirements
for their undergraduate degrees, linguistics
students started the semester on the
job. Under the direction and leadership
of Pasquale, professor of linguistics and
inaugural dean of the School of Ministry,
Media & the Arts, students enrolled in
Linguistic Analysis are collaborating with a
missionary couple based in Asia to develop
a needed service for ministry professionals:
a language learning solution with a lexicon
for mission-centric gospel ministry.
It’s cutting-edge work,
but it’s also missional.
— Dr. Michael Pasquale
“I want students to see what God has
prepared them to do in terms of whatever
major or skill set and apply that to impact
our world in multiple ways,” Pasquale said.
According to the Ethnologue, the world
has over 7,000 living languages. Though
popular language learning applications
exist to provide vocabulary for transactional
actions, Cornerstone students are
supplying linguistic data to help pilot
a language learning tool that equips
learners to effectively communicate and
build relationships in Central Asia. The
concept for this new program will leverage
““
Dr. Michael Pasquale, Dean of the
School of Ministry, Media & the Arts
artificial intelligence (AI) to improve
pronunciation feedback to language
learners and to reinforce repetition as part
of their personalized language learning
plans, anticipating the content learners
should prioritize. As a result, the project
will accelerate the timeline for missionaries
working to learn a new language.
“As AI technology develops into a powerful
tool, the humanities can bring together
knowledge from philosophy, history and
languages to ask important questions: Is
this right? Is this true? And how do we
utilize AI in a way that glorifies God, helps
the church and helps our communities?”
Pasquale concluded. “To know that our
partnership is helping missionaries and
cross-cultural workers in multiple areas
and multiple fields throughout Asia is really
exciting.”
Read more about how boldly educated Cornerstone students are impacting our world for
Christ in their vocations at cornerstone.edu/news.
INFLUENCE | WINTER 2024
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