ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND EDUCATIONAL LINGUISTICS: IMPLICATIONS FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in education, significantly influencing language teaching, learning, and assessment practices. The integration of AI-driven technologies into language education has opened new possibilities for enhancing learner engagement, personalized instruction, and multilingual communication. Educational Linguistics, an interdisciplinary field that explores the relationship between language and education, provides a valuable framework for examining the pedagogical implications of these technological developments. This paper investigates the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Educational Linguistics, focusing on the ways AI contributes to language learning through intelligent tutoring systems, natural language processing, machine translation, speech recognition technologies, automated assessment tools, and generative AI applications such as ChatGPT. The study examines how AI facilitates language acquisition, promotes learner autonomy, supports multilingual education, and enhances digital literacy in diverse educational contexts. Drawing upon contemporary research in Educational Linguistics, second language acquisition, and educational technology, the paper highlights the potential of AI to provide adaptive learning experiences, immediate feedback, and personalized instructional support. At the same time, it critically addresses challenges associated with AI integration, including issues of academic integrity, algorithmic bias, data privacy, digital inequality, and the possible reduction of meaningful human interaction in language learning environments. Particular attention is given to the implications of AI for multilingual societies and language education policies in the context of rapidly evolving digital ecosystems. The paper argues that while AI offers significant opportunities for transforming language education, its effective implementation requires a balanced, ethical, and pedagogically informed approach grounded in the principles of Educational Linguistics to ensure equitable, inclusive, and meaningful learning outcomes.