Ali Derakhshan, Mehdi Solhi
Research has corroborated that students’ needs play a crucial role in their second or foreign language (L2) learning, especially in relation to technologies. However, the adolescent refugee students’ perceived needs for innovative forms of technology, namely Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, have been overlooked in the literature. To address the existing gap, this qualitative study explored refugee English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ AI-related needs in the educational context of Türkiye. A sample of 42 adolescent EFL students participated in individual interviews, which were conducted online. The results of thematic analysis demonstrated five common AI-related needs: (1) equal access to AI tools and infrastructures, (2) AI literacy, readiness, and awareness, (3) technical support and training, (4) psycho-emotional engagement, and (5) enhanced sense of agency and inclusion. The findings highlight the importance of addressing migrated learners’ needs in the context of AI-mediated education. Practical professional development courses and technical support are recommended to help L2 educators identify and address AI-related needs of students from refugee backgrounds in a changing world of education mediated by advanced technologies.