By Katrina Tour, Edwin Creely and Melissa Barnes

Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) has a lot of potential to help migrants and refugees settle successfully in Australia, supporting language learning, information access and everyday activities, recent research from Monash University suggests.

When people move to Australia, whether it is an intentional choice or forced by circumstances, they face many challenges. With limited English language proficiency, they often struggle to access information, communicate, and participate in various domains of their new life when they first arrive. Developing strong English skills takes time, effort, and practice but life does not pause while language is being developed. Newcomers must navigate housing, healthcare, government social service, education, and employment systems, often facing barriers in understanding how these systems work and explaining their needs, knowing their rights, or advocating for themselves. This can lead to feelings of frustration and isolation.

Now imagine a powerful digital tool which can help with some of these issues. It learns from millions of examples to create something new just in a few seconds: a letter, an email, a story, a translation from/to home language, a simplified explanation, a picture and even music. This is generative AI (Artificial Intelligence), which works much like a researcher who studies extensively before creating original work. Generative AI is new technology which is trained to recognise patterns in vast amounts of data (or what are called large language models or LLMs) and use them to generate new content. There are many free generative AI bots such as ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Claude, and DALL-E. Think of generative AI as a writing helper that ensures you can effectively communicate your needs while navigating the complex systems of a new country.

Research from Monash University found that some people from migrant and refugee backgrounds actively use generative AI as they navigate their new lives in Australia. In particular they use generative AI to support their learning, different everyday tasks, leisure and professional activities.

Some of the most popular uses of AI were related to learning and especially language learning. One participant used generative AI to help with homework from his English language class. He used it to brainstorm ideas for writing and translate tasks or grammar rules:

“Sometimes I use it [generative AI] for translation… [and] I do use ChatGPT to generate some of the suggestions for doing homework… It is very useful. The information it provides, much wider and in more detail, in two different languages, three languages. So, sometimes I want to search information in Chinese, and then in the Malay language, I can do that as well.”

*Note: Participants’ original language was preserved to maintain the authenticity of their voices.

Similarly, another participant used generative AI to check grammar in writing which became a useful learning experience for her:

“General[ly], really, it’s learning … for the correct my grammars when I writing some letter – some emails, and study. Say study. For writing.”

Some people used generative AI for different everyday tasks, improving their information access. One participant often used ChatGPT when assisting her children with homework, while another used it for generating recipes:

[teacher translating] She stated that she wants to be able to help her children with their homework, so she can put in little questions on ChatGPT for the questions that her children have with their homework, so she can see what they’re asking and how to answer it, to help it.

Sometimes like yesterday I just, classic brownies, I just want to make. So, I just write down how to… very quickly. They save time, and very quickly come out the things.

Generative AI was also used by the participants for leisure activities which allowed them to express their creativity. One participant was a YouTube vlogger who used generative AI to support her video production:

“I’m daily vlogger, family vlogging about topics – how to manage your time, how to manage your work stress with your kids, your family. I just share my content especially for mums, for school, growing kids, and home chores. So, I’m sharing the travelling experiences, and even my recipes… So, they [generative AI tools] help me to be script writing. They give me the ideas to be, and even the languages you know, how to engage audience, how to be perfect, like scripting. When I start to be vlogging, I need to be good content, to help me to be – I’m just time saving.”

Another participant reported using generative AI for writing song lyrics together with her husband:

[teacher translating] her husband is a singer, and he does post videos online… So, she says that her husband uses it to assist him with ideas for his songs and singing. And she helps him to use it. The meaning of the words of the songs. So, they work together to get the ideas for new songs, and they work together to find the meaning of the new words to make songs.

Two participants shared examples of AI use for work. One used it to generate creative content such as images for her small business while another mentioned the use of generative AI for writing résumés:

“I have a small business, like packaging back in my home country. So usually we create some image, like special promotion on stuff, we kind of like use generative AI to help us make the image in terms of that promotion and stuff.

I actually got it [generative AI] to help me do my résumé the other day.”

These are some great examples that the participants shared but generative AI can assist with even more complex tasks. Need to write to Centrelink about your payments? Want to explain your medical history to a new doctor? Looking to request urgent repairs in your rental property? AI can help write these in clear, correct English with the appropriate level of formality. It can assist with writing housing applications, explaining visa documentation, or communicating with utility companies about setting up gas or water services.

Generative AI, like other translation tools, can also help with the quick translation of information. They also allow users to identify the preferred tone and context rather than just a direct word to word translation. For example, users can ask AI to communicate concern or relief within a particular context (e.g., doctor’s office).

Another key feature of generative AI is that visual or aural representations can be generated to support understanding or create resources, including customised diagrams, images, graphs, data visualisations, sound patterns, voice explanations, and artistic interpretations that adapt to different needs.

In cases when information is hard to understand or specific to a new country, generative AI can help make it clearer by explaining complex ideas or information in simpler ways. For example, it can turn complex immigration paperwork into step-by-step guides, or explain local healthcare systems by comparing them to systems in other countries. For instance, it could explain Australia’s Medicare system and break down how to get a Medicare card into simple actions like “visit the nearest Medicare office” and “bring your visa documents.”

This research project also shows that it is important to be aware of some issues when using generative AI. There is a need to be smart about using it. For example, the participants often thought of generative AI as Google. But it is a very different technology and sometimes it can make mistakes or give wrong information. So it is important to double-check its accuracy. Another challenge is learning how to communicate with AI to get what you need. This communication happens in what are called prompts. For example, instead of typing “housing help,” into a prompt box in the AI bot it’s better to explain the specific situation: “I need you to write a letter to a real estate agent explaining my rental history and current employment.” The clearer the communication about what is needed, the better AI can assist.

These are some (but not all!) important skills that are worth learning to use generative AI effectively. Like any technology, it works best when a person learns how to use it properly, which includes knowing both what it can and cannot do well. This highlights why settlement programs and English language courses need to include specific training in AI literacy. Just as we teach broader digital literacy skills such as evaluating online information, understanding different communication platforms, navigating government websites, and interpreting visual information across various screens and interfaces, there is a need for migrants and refugees to understand how to use AI tools effectively and appropriately. These critical digital and AI skills are becoming essential for study, work, and daily life in their new country.

This publication is based on Tour E., Crelly, E., Barnes, M., Henderson, M., Waterhouse, P., Pegrum., M. & Pena, M. (forthcoming). Exploring AI literacy practices and capabilities of adult EAL learners from migrant and refugee backgrounds.

Read the full research report: Harnessing generative AI: understanding the needs of the SEE program (Capability Map)