Opportunities and Limitations of Dialogue-based Foreign Language Learning AI Applications

The utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) is an undeniable fact and is quickly revolutionizing the field of education, through its many capabilities, by changing the scenery of when and how people teach and learn. Especially with the emergence of the 5G and 6G (fifth/sixth-generation wireless communications) and their substantially higher speeds and much lower latency, as well as new faster and more powerful smartphones capable of running advanced applications, AI-powered educational tools are becoming even more sophisticated and efficient. This has a clear application in the spectrum of foreign language learning (FLL). 5G/6G enhances the opportunity for a ubiquitous and immersive learning experience, for example, through smart and immersive classrooms, distance one-to-one learning, numerous learning smartphone applications, and many others. One of the many facets of AI in FLL is dialogue-based language learning, in the form of intelligent computer- assisted language learning systems, conversational agents, pronunciation training tools, and chatbots. All these systems require increased wireless bandwidth since they require virtual presences, robots, and high-resolution features. Dialogue-based language learning tools are becoming predominant and gradually more people are using them. While AI in education is facing unprecedented development, much improvement is still necessary, in aspects such as performance, user-friendliness, pedagogical effectiveness, and ethics. This chapter investigates the basic functions of language learning applications and chatbots that are powered by AI. Recent advances made in this area and some suggestions for future development are presented.