Using Copilot for Intercultural Communication Practice: A Simulation-Based Approach

Communication skills and cultural awareness are among the most crucial skills for a professional in any field. Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) provides educators with new possibilities for teaching and practicing these skills with students. This article describes how GenAI can be used as a communication partner in AI-based simulation activities to develop students’ readiness for intercultural communication.

Author: Olesia Kullberg

Simulation activities have always been used in teaching as an extremely efficient method that provides students with the opportunity to test their skills and acquire knowledge in practice. With the new possibilities that GenAI provides, the scope of simulation-based learning activities has significantly expanded. In fact, GenAI makes simulation activities in different fields much more accessible and easier to arrange. Dai & Ke (2022) define simulation-based learning as interactive digital environments that imitate real-life situations where learners actively engage, test decisions, and solve problems. Due to natural language processing AI-driven interaction can function as a human-like interaction (Dai & Ke 2022). This function can especially be used for communication practice activities on language courses.

AI-based simulations for developing professional skills

AI-based simulations have been widely implemented in teaching students of different fields. The research shows that GenAI brings the necessary practice and allows for development of skills in a safe environment.

Liaw et al. (2023) studied the use of AI for simulating the communication of medical students with an AI doctor. The results of the study showed that students perceived communication with an AI doctor as a more structured and consistent experience compared to communication with peers. On the other hand, students also mentioned that communication with an AI doctor mostly felt robotic and unnatural. Thus, the authors concluded that AI-based simulations are very useful for pre-training and for building confidence while studying. However, AI-based simulations should be followed by face-to-face communication with humans. (Liaw at al. 2023)

Aziz et al. (2026) conducted a study where students participated in a 45-minute online simulation of a communication with a virtual patient – a Middle Eastern woman navigating a foreign healthcare system. The study was especially focusing on researching the impact of AI-based simulation on the development of cultural awareness skills. While cultural competence and bias might be challenging to teach due to sensitive nature of the topics, AI-based simulation provided students with a safe environment where they could make mistakes, practice using different language strategies and reflect without social pressure. The results of the study were impressive, showing that 91% of participants improved understanding of empathy and 88% increased confidence in culturally responsive care through the AI-based simulation activity. (Aziz et al. 2026)

Thus, the research shows that AI-driven simulations not only enhance practical skills in communication but also support the development of cultural awareness and empathy by immersing learners in realistic, intercultural scenarios. However, their effectiveness is maximized when integrated into blended pedagogical approaches that include human interaction.

Simple Copilot simulation for gaining understanding of cultural awareness

Supporting students in developing intercultural awareness skills is a very important yet challenging task. While theoretical knowledge is easily accessible, providing practical experience and showing the implementation of theoretical knowledge in real-life situations might be difficult to obtain. LAB University of Applied Sciences business students participate in the course English for work, with one of the learning objectives being the ability to function collaboratively in international working environments. To gain practical understanding of intercultural communication and practice communication skills safely, students simulate a realistic intercultural conflict during an AI-based simulation.

The assignment includes creating student’s own cultural profile, as well as a cultural profile of an imaginary international colleague. Students create cultural profiles based on the theoretical knowledge provided in the course materials and practical activities during the lessons. Once the profiles have been created, students are asked to imagine a possible situation they would want to explore for revealing the possibilities of a potential conflict based on cultural differences or misunderstandings. After that they participate in a simulated conversation with Copilot, where Copilot is given the role of an international colleague. The assignment includes an example of the prompt that students are advised to modify for fitting their simulation:

Can you help me simulate a possible cultural misunderstanding between me (a Finnish Linear-Active person) and my Brazilian Multi-Active colleague during a project deadline discussion? You will play a role of my colleague. We are in a situation where you are giving me negative feedback. Behave as a Brazilian multi-active person would behave in this situation. I will respond. React to my response and continue our conversation. You can start.

After the simulation with Copilot, students are asked to reflect on their experience, namely on how cultural awareness can improve international collaboration and how AI tools like Copilot can support intercultural communication. The assignment results in a written report on the insights gained through the simulated activity.

Challenges in the use of AI-based simulations

The reports of the students show that there is a huge gap in the ways students use Copilot. Some students follow the instructions and allow themselves to actively engage in the chat with Copilot. This engagement demands some creativity and ability to participate in a role-play where the interlocutor is not a human. It also requires a student to be motivated to spend some time reading the answers provided by Copilot and formulating their own answers. On the other hand, some students use Copilot as a shortcut for gaining the needed information without actually participating in a conversation. The reasons for such behavior might be the lack of motivation, the need to save time, or simply the lack of belief that such conversation with AI might provide any insightful information needed for the development of student’s professional skills.

While all students mention how useful the information they gained through the activity is for their understanding of intercultural communication, the benefits of the AI-based simulation activity can only be gained through the actual chat with AI. Students who participate in the AI-based simulation are often surprised by the ability of AI to adapt to the situation and respond within the provided frames of the conversation. The AI-based simulation usually opens some new points of view for students and allows them to gain some grasp of the possible situation that might occur in their future working life.

Thus, the assignment itself proved to be valuable for students in developing their understanding of intercultural communication. However, the practical arrangement of the simulation should be changed for a more structured and involved participation of students. One possible solution could be the creation of an agent for this assignment. In this case, students would be guided by the agent to provide the necessary information for the simulation after which the agent would start a simulation activity. The use of the agent should ensure that students use the AI-based simulation as planned by the teacher instead of simply using AI as a search engine.

AI-based simulation activities offer a powerful and accessible tool for enhancing students’ communication skills and intercultural awareness. By enabling learners to engage in realistic and safe interactions, these tools support the development of cultural sensitivity and professional communication competence. The case presented from LAB University of Applied Sciences demonstrates that even relatively simple AI-supported simulations can provide meaningful learning experiences and deepen students’ understanding of intercultural collaboration. However, the effectiveness of such activities depends heavily on students’ active engagement and thoughtful task design. To fully realize their pedagogical potential, AI-based simulations should be integrated into structured learning processes and complemented with human interaction and guided reflection.

References

Aziz, Z., Mazeh, A. C., Ilic, D., Ciardulli, M., El Hadi, S. N., Camuccio, A., Moore, J. & Kiegaldie, D. 2026. Leveraging AI simulations for enhancing cultural responsiveness and interprofessional collaboration in health professions education. Nurse Education in Practice. Vol. 91, 104711. Cited 10 June 2026. Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2026.104711

Dai, C. & Ke, F. 2022.Educational applications of artificial intelligence in simulation-based learning: A systematic mapping review. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence. Vol. 3, 100087. Cited 10 June 2026. Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2022.100087

Liaw, S. Y., Tan, J. Z., Lim, S., Zhou, W., Yap, J., Ratan, R., Ooi, S. L., Wong, S. J., Seah, B. & Chua, W. L. 2023. Artificial intelligence in virtual reality simulation for interprofessional communication training: Mixed method study. Nurse Education Today. Vol. 122, 105718. Cited 10 June 2026. Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2023.105718