Speak, an AI language learning platform, announced today (9/5)Entering the Taiwanese marketIt has been one year since its inception, and for the first time, it held the "Speak Summit 2025: Asia AI Learning Summit" in Taipei, further demonstrating its strategic layout in the Asian market.
Since its official launch in Taiwan in 2024, Speak has seen a 400% user growth in Taiwan, with daily active users increasing fivefold over the previous year and average user time increasing by 5%. This not only demonstrates the Taiwanese market's strong acceptance of AI-assisted language learning, but also makes Taiwan a key testing ground for Speak's testing innovations and service promotion.
Over the past year, Speak has continuously launched multilingual learning content. Currently, users can learn French, Italian, Japanese, and Korean in English, and will expand to more languages in the future to meet the rapidly growing demand for cross-border learning. The most popular features on the platform among Taiwanese users are Free Talk contextual conversations and AI-powered extended lessons, which gradually cultivate users' daily learning habits.
In terms of brand promotion, Speak successfully built buzz through celebrity and creator collaborations. For example, Olympic gold medalist Li Yang, who self-deprecatingly described himself as "the worst English speaker," progressed to a "medium-level" learning symbol, showcasing real-life examples of continuous improvement through AI learning. Popular creators Huang Daqian and Jin Zhengu also visited Speak headquarters in San Francisco to "speak English," further strengthening their connection with young people.
In addition to the consumer market, Speak has also launched the Speak for Business service in Taiwan, offering customized AI learning solutions. Current clients include KPMG Ernst & Young, Gogolook, Novatek, and Mizuho Bank, demonstrating the rapidly growing demand for AI language tools among businesses. Speak is also actively expanding cross-industry partnerships, including collaborations with Cathay United Bank's CUBE credit card, Uber Eats, and restaurants and pubs in downtown Taipei. Future collaborations with telecommunications operators are planned to deepen market penetration.
Andrew Hsu, co-founder and CTO of Speak, said at the summit that celebrating its first anniversary in Taiwan is of special significance. The summit also invited industry leaders to discuss "how AI can revolutionize the way millions of people learn languages."
This year's forum, themed "The Future of AI Learning Starts in Asia," brought together prominent speakers from the fields of education, technology, and venture capital, including Ian Hathaway, Managing Partner of OpenAI Startup Fund, to share their latest insights into the impact of AI on education and industry transformation.
Ginger Chen, head of the Chinese market at Speak, also emphasized that Taiwanese learners have demonstrated strong learning momentum, indicating that when AI tools can accurately address users' pain points, they will bring huge market potential.
Currently, Speak has provided services in more than 40 countries and regions around the world, and became an official partner of OpenAI Realtime API in 2024. In the same year, it completed its Series C financing, with a valuation exceeding US$10 billion, and received support from Silicon Valley figures such as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, former PayPal CEO Peter Thiel, and Paul Graham, co-founder of startup accelerator Y Combinator.
In the future, Speak plans to continue strengthening its presence in Asia and promote the popularization of AI learning applications.
