A systematic review of conversational AI in language education: focusing on the collaboration with human teachers

Abstract

Abstract Despite the increasing use of conversational artificial intelligence (AI) in language learning, few studies explored how to develop collaborative partnership between AIs and humans. This systematic review examines empirical evidence of human-computer collaboration from 24 studies conducted in an AI-integrated language learning environment and published between 2015 and 2021. The roles of conversational AIs and teachers in each language learning phase with challenges of and suggestions for conversational AI-integrated language learning were identified. Although limited evidence for collaboration between conversational AIs and human teachers was found, future language education should integrate conversational AIs to promote intelligence amplification and decrease human teachers’ workload through classroom orchestration. The study concludes with guidelines and recommendations for teachers and AI researchers.