Will there be a time in the not-so-distant future when people won't need to learn a second language -- instead relying on machine translation powered by artificial intelligence to interpret real-time conversations? This is a key question, and a fear, for many businesses in the language industry. But panelists at a recent symposium on how the "internet of things" will affect media outlets and education, co-hosted by English language school chain Aeon Corp. and The Japan Times, agreed that AI and other technologies will never be able to completely replace humans. For those who want to study a second language, the goal is not simply to become fluent in the language, said Aeon President Yoshikazu Miyake. "It's to become confident enough to enjoy communication in a foreign language," Miyake said.