Phone companies are using smart computers, called AI, to help with their busy networks. Big companies like O2, EE, Vodafone, and Three use AI to manage signals, save energy, and keep the network running well. In Korea, AI helps fix network problems very quickly. In the US, AT&T uses AI to guess and stop network issues before they happen. They are also working on faster networks like 5G and even 6G for the future.

These companies also use AI to help their customers. A group of companies wants to make a smart helper, or chatbot, to answer customer questions. Vodafone works with Microsoft to make their helper, Tobi, talk to many customers every month. This helps people get answers faster without waiting for a person. Some people worry about jobs, but experts think AI can help everyone, especially in poorer countries.

Original news source: How mobile phone networks are embracing AI (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Write down key words from the article on separate pieces of paper and put them in a hat. Divide the class into teams. One person from each team will come up and pick a word from the hat without showing it to their team. They must then act out the word without speaking, and their team has to guess what word they are acting out. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a list of vocabulary words from the article. One person from each pair will choose a word and draw a picture to represent it, while their partner tries to guess the word. They can only use pictures, no words or gestures. After a certain amount of time, switch roles. The pair with the most correct guesses wins.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. Set a timer for one minute. One person from each pair will read the article to themselves and then try to summarize it to their partner in one minute or less. Their partner should listen and try to understand as much as possible. After one minute, switch roles. The pair with the most accurate summaries wins.

– Opinion Spectrum
Instructions: Divide the class into groups of four. Give each group a set of statements related to the article, such as “AI will make our lives easier” or “AI will take away jobs.” Each group member should place themselves on a spectrum from strongly agree to strongly disagree for each statement. After everyone has placed themselves, give each group a chance to discuss why they placed themselves where they did. Encourage them to use the vocabulary and ideas from the article in their discussion.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. Each pair should work together to make a list of the pros and cons of using AI in phone networks and customer service. After they have made their lists, have pairs share their ideas with the class. Encourage them to use the vocabulary and ideas from the article in their discussion.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What are phone companies using to help with their busy networks?
2. How does AI help phone companies manage signals and save energy?
3. What country uses AI to fix network problems quickly?
4. How does AT&T use AI to stop network issues before they happen?
5. What is a chatbot?
6. Who does Vodafone work with to make their chatbot, Tobi?
7. How does AI help people get answers faster?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Phone companies are using smart computers, (1)______ AI, to help with their busy networks. Big companies like O2, EE, Vodafone, and Three use AI to manage signals, save (2)______, and keep the network running well. In Korea, AI helps fix network problems very quickly. In the US, AT&T uses AI to (3)______ and stop network issues before they happen. They are also working on faster (4)______ like 5G and even 6G for the future.

These (5)______ also use AI to help their (6)______s. A group of companies wants to make a smart helper, or chatbot, to answer customer questions. Vodafone works with Microsoft to make their helper, Tobi, talk to many customers every month. This helps (7)______ get (8)______ faster without waiting for a person. Some people worry about jobs, but experts think AI can help everyone, especially in poorer countries.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a smart computer called AI?
2. How would you feel if a smart computer helped fix network problems very quickly?
3. Do you like the idea of a smart helper answering customer questions? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about AI helping everyone, especially in poorer countries?
5. How do you think AI can save energy?
6. Do you think it’s important for phone companies to have fast networks like 5G and 6G? Why or why not?
7. What is a chatbot?
8. How would you feel if you had to wait a long time to get answers from a person instead of a chatbot?
9. Do you think AI can replace human jobs? Why or why not?
10. What kind of questions do you think people ask the smart helper, Tobi?
11. How do you think AI can manage signals in a network?
12. What do you think the future of phone networks will be like with the help of AI?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. networks
2. signals
3. energy
4. manage
5. issues
6. faster
7. helper
8. customers
9. experts
10. countries

Meanings:
(A) Someone or something that helps you
(B) People who know a lot about something
(C) Problems or troubles
(D) Quicker than before
(E) Places in the world, like the USA or France
(F) A system of connected things, like phones or computers
(G) To take care of or control something
(H) People who buy things or use services
(I) Power that makes things work, like electricity
(J) Messages sent through the air, like from a phone tower
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What are phone companies using smart computers called?
(a) Computers
(b) Phones
(c) Networks
(d) AI

2. Which companies use AI to manage signals, save energy, and keep the network running well?
(a) O2, EE, Vodafone, and Three
(b) Apple, Samsung, Google, and Microsoft
(c) McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Nike, and Adidas
(d) Amazon, Facebook, Netflix, and Twitter

3. In which country does AI help fix network problems very quickly?
(a) Japan
(b) China
(c) India
(d) Korea

4. What does AT&T use AI for?
(a) To make phone calls
(b) To guess and stop network issues before they happen
(c) To play games
(d) To watch movies

5. What are some companies working on for the future?
(a) Flying cars
(b) Time machines
(c) Faster networks like 5G and even 6G
(d) Robot pets

6. What do some companies want to make to answer customer questions?
(a) A robot chef
(b) A talking dog
(c) A smart helper or chatbot
(d) A magic wand

7. Who does Vodafone work with to make their helper, Tobi?
(a) Apple
(b) Microsoft
(c) Google
(d) Amazon

8. Who do experts think AI can help?
(a) Everyone, especially in poorer countries
(b) Only rich people
(c) Only young people
(d) Only old people

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Big companies like O2, EE, Vodafone, and Three use AI to manage signals and save energy.
2. The companies are developing faster networks like 5G and 6G for the future.
3. Experts believe AI may benefit everyone, particularly in less affluent countries.
4. In Korea, AI helps fix network problems quickly.
5. Phone companies use sophisticated computers called AI to assist with their networks.
6. Vodafone works with Microsoft to make their helper, Tobi, talk to many customers every month.
7. AI is also used to help customers by answering their questions.
8. AT&T in the US utilizes AI to predict and prevent network issues before they occur.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What are phone companies using smart computers called AI for?
2. Can you name some big phone companies that use AI?
3. How does AI help phone companies fix network problems?
4. What is a chatbot and what does it do?
5. Why do some people worry about AI taking away jobs?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Phone companies are using smart computers, called AI, to help with their busy networks.
2. AI helps phone companies manage signals by analyzing and controlling them. It saves energy by optimizing the network’s usage.
3. Korea uses AI to fix network problems quickly.
4. AT&T uses AI to guess and identify network issues before they happen, so they can fix them in advance.
5. A chatbot is a smart helper that can answer customer questions and have conversations with people using artificial intelligence.
6. Vodafone works with Microsoft to make their chatbot, Tobi.
7. AI helps people get answers faster by quickly analyzing and providing information, without the need to wait for a person to respond.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) called
(2) energy
(3) guess
(4) networks
(5) companies
(6) customer
(7) people
(8) answers
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. networks
Answer: (F) A system of connected things, like phones or computers

2. signals
Answer: (J) Messages sent through the air, like from a phone tower

3. energy
Answer: (I) Power that makes things work, like electricity

4. manage
Answer: (G) To take care of or control something

5. issues
Answer: (C) Problems or troubles

6. faster
Answer: (D) Quicker than before

7. helper
Answer: (A) Someone or something that helps you

8. customers
Answer: (H) People who buy things or use services

9. experts
Answer: (B) People who know a lot about something

10. countries
Answer: (E) Places in the world, like the USA or France
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What are phone companies using smart computers called?
Answer: (d) AI

2. Which companies use AI to manage signals, save energy, and keep the network running well?
Answer: (a) O2, EE, Vodafone, and Three

3. In which country does AI help fix network problems very quickly?
Answer: (d) Korea

4. What does AT&T use AI for?
Answer: (b) To guess and stop network issues before they happen

5. What are some companies working on for the future?
Answer: (c) Faster networks like 5G and even 6G

6. What do some companies want to make to answer customer questions?
Answer: (c) A smart helper or chatbot

7. Who does Vodafone work with to make their helper, Tobi?
Answer: (b) Microsoft

8. Who do experts think AI can help?
Answer: (a) Everyone, especially in poorer countries
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Big companies like O2, EE, Vodafone, and Three use AI to manage signals and save energy. (Answer: True)
2. The companies are developing faster networks like 5G and 6G for the future. (Answer: False)
3. Experts believe AI may benefit everyone, particularly in less affluent countries. (Answer: False)
4. In Korea, AI helps fix network problems quickly. (Answer: True)
5. Phone companies use sophisticated computers called AI to assist with their networks. (Answer: False)
6. Vodafone works with Microsoft to make their helper, Tobi, talk to many customers every month. (Answer: True)
7. AI is also used to help customers by answering their questions. (Answer: True)
8. AT&T in the US utilizes AI to predict and prevent network issues before they occur. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧