A Delhi cab driver’s attempt to improve his English using ChatGPT became an unexpected lesson in how AI can make learning more accessible. According to a LinkedIn post by Tushar Jejani, the encounter took place around 4:13 am in New Delhi, when Jejani noticed his driver speaking English while driving and discussing his morning routine and the ride’s location.
Jejani said he initially became uncomfortable, believing the driver was speaking to someone on the phone and potentially sharing details about their journey. The driver noticed his discomfort and began speaking to him directly.
After around 10 minutes of conversation, with the driver speaking English and Jejani responding in Hindi, Jejani asked who he had been speaking to. The driver reportedly explained that he was practising English with ChatGPT because he was not yet fluent. He also said he had recently become a father and wanted to learn English so he could teach his daughter when she grew up.
The account has since received thousands of reactions and comments online. However, the driver’s identity and circumstances have not been independently verified, and there are no official statements related to the incident.
A Misunderstood Phone Conversation
According to Jejani’s account, the journey began with a moment of unease. At around 4:13 am, while travelling through New Delhi, he heard the cab driver speaking in English. The driver appeared to be discussing his morning routine and the location of the ride.
Jejani said he began listening more carefully because he initially thought the driver was talking to someone over the phone and sharing information about their journey. The driver then noticed that his passenger was uncomfortable and started a conversation with him.
He asked Jejani where he was travelling and whether the trip was for work or personal reasons. Jejani responded in Hindi, saying he was travelling to Bengaluru for work. Their conversation continued for around 10 minutes, with the driver continuing to speak in English.
When Jejani finally asked whom he had been speaking to on the phone, the driver clarified that he had not been on a call. Instead, he was using ChatGPT to practise speaking English. The driver reportedly said he was not yet fluent and was working on his spoken English. He then shared the personal motivation behind his effort: he had recently become a father and wanted to learn English so that he could teach his daughter when she grew up.
A Wider Conversation About AI
The encounter prompted Jejani to reflect on what he described as one of AI’s less-discussed possibilities: its use as an informal learning tool. In his LinkedIn post, he wrote that AI was giving people access to technology across different sections of Indian society, without necessarily requiring a coaching class or formal teacher.
The driver’s reported use of ChatGPT illustrates how conversational AI can be used for repeated language practice at a time and place convenient to the user. The story also comes amid growing discussion around the potential of generative AI to support learning and make digital tools more accessible.
However, one personal account cannot establish how widely such tools are being used or whether they are reducing broader inequalities in education. The driver’s name, background, education and employment details have not been established independently.
Jejani’s original post has nevertheless attracted substantial online attention, with more than 100 comments and thousands of reactions and views recorded across LinkedIn pages that reproduced or tracked the post.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
AI is often discussed through the question of what work it might replace. Stories such as this invite us to consider another question: what opportunities could it create for people who have traditionally had fewer resources to learn new skills?
In this case, the reported interaction is simple: a cab driver, a smartphone and a desire to improve his English. It does not mean that AI can replace teachers, classrooms or the wider support systems needed for quality education.
Nor should English proficiency be treated as a measure of intelligence or ability. But access to a tool that allows someone to practise without judgement, at their own pace, can still be meaningful. What stands out most is not simply that the driver was using AI, but why he chose to learn: he wanted to give his daughter something he was still working to acquire himself.
As AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, how can we ensure that access to such technology translates into meaningful learning and opportunity for everyone?
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