A global research team discovered that artificial intelligence performs most accurately when prompted in Polish, not English. The study, led by the University of Maryland in collaboration with Microsoft, examined 26 languages to determine which ones AI understands best.
Researchers tested major AI systems — including OpenAI, Google Gemini, Qwen, Llama, and DeepSeek — using identical commands across all languages. The findings overturned long-held assumptions about English dominance in computing.
“Our analysis produced surprising outcomes,” the report noted. “English ranked only sixth for longer responses, while Polish proved the most effective overall.”
Machines Master a Language Humans Struggle With
AI completed Polish-language tasks with an average success rate of 88%, outperforming every other language tested. The Polish Patent Office reacted to the results, posting, “Polish turns out to be the clearest for artificial intelligence. People may find it difficult, but AI does not.”
Despite limited Polish data in AI training compared with English or Chinese, the systems displayed exceptional precision when interpreting Polish instructions. By contrast, Chinese ranked near the bottom — fourth from last out of the 26 languages reviewed.
How Each Language Ranked in AI Performance
The study revealed the top ten languages that AI interprets most effectively:
- Polish — 88%
- French — 87%
- Italian — 86%
- Spanish — 85%
- Russian — 84%
- English — 83.9%
- Ukrainian — 83.5%
- Portuguese — 82%
- German — 81%
- Dutch — 80%
Researchers concluded that linguistic difficulty for humans does not translate to AI limitations. Instead, the machines excelled in understanding one of the most complex languages on Earth.
