Unpacking L2 teachers’ and learners’ reflections on the hidden challenges of AI-assisted language education

This phenomenological study investigated the challenges experienced by Iranian and Saudi teachers and learners in artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted L2 classrooms. Using maximum variation sampling, a total of 117 participants were selected from diverse educational institutions in Iran and Saudi Arabia. Drawing on written reflective narratives and semi-structured interviews, the study revealed that AI integration generated a set of educational, emotional, and ethical challenges that transformed language education practices. Educational challenges included misalignment between AI outputs and curricular goals, insufficient institutional training, and learners’ overreliance on automated feedback. Emotionally, both teachers and learners reported heightened anxiety, reduced confidence, and frustration arising from conflicting human–AI feedback and rapidly evolving technological demands. Ethically, participants highlighted concerns about academic dishonesty, data privacy risks, cultural insensitivity, and unequal access to reliable AI tools. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that AI is not merely a technological enhancement but a transformative force that reconfigures pedagogical routines, affective experiences, and moral responsibilities. The study concludes by outlining theoretical and practical implications for responsible, context-sensitive, and educationally meaningful AI integration in L2 contexts.