A qualitative study on ethical issues related to the use of AI-driven technologies in foreign language learning

Abstract

The current situation in the use of AI-driven technologies in education has seen an unprecedented rise, however, the impact of these technologies from the perspective of ethical issues is largely unknown. The aim of the research is to provide a clear overview of the potential risks that could be related to the use of AI-driven apps in foreign language learning as it is perceived by the users of these apps. The data were collected by the questionnaires distributed among the students of computer science and also the users of various AI-driven apps for their language classes. The data collection was qualitative with the aim of analyzing their feelings, opinions, and experience. The tool to analyze the data collected was liwc.app software that is a gold standard for textual analysis when looking for values, feelings, and opinions. The results clearly show that the users, who are professionals in ICT, are fully aware of the potential threats but due to the fact that they are knowledgeable about the topic they are not prone to be hacked or misused in a way the general public can be. The results also highlight several grave ethical issues related to privacy in foreign language learning apps. This is the first research drawing attention to the topic of ethical issues when using AI-driven foreign language learning apps and it can be considered a pioneering work in this neglected area.