How does generative AI promote autonomy and inclusivity in language teaching?

Abstract In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has increasingly made advances across various fields, including ELT. In this article we embrace an egalitarian dialogue framework to explore and understand the role of AI in language education. This format provides a useful backdrop for navigating the dual responses—enthusiasm and scepticism—by which AI’s influence in education has often been characterized. We critically assess both the advantages and limitations of AI in ELT, highlighting and praising how AI-powered tools can assist educators in differentiating instruction, promoting learner autonomy, and creating personalized and inclusive learning environments, thus making education more accessible to students with diverse and individual needs. However, the article also addresses the challenges posed by the digital divide, particularly the inequities in access to (AI) technologies in low-socioeconomic-status regions. We also reflect upon how AI can become an obstacle in developing learner autonomy due to the risks associated with overdependence on such technologies and the lack of critical skills. The article concludes that although AI presents exciting opportunities for advancing and facilitating language learning, its integration must be approached with a rational mindset to ensure that it serves to bridge educational gaps rather than intensify them.