Exploring students' emotional experiences and responses to AI tutors and their limitations in higher education: a Self-Determination Theory (SDT) perspective.

BACKGROUND: A growing body of research underscores the role of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in second language (L2) education. However, the emotional side of adopting AI tutors in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context has received insufficient scholarly attention. PURPOSE: To address this knowledge gap, this qualitative study sought to uncover EFL students' emotional experiences and responses to AI tutors. METHOD: To do so, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 Chinese EFL students recruited through a convenience sampling strategy. RESULTS: The results of the thematic analysis indicated different positive and negative emotional experiences associated with the adoption of AI tutors. The most common positive affective-motivational states were excitement, motivation, and engagement, while the negative emotions, anxiety, fear, and frustration, appeared most frequently in the learners. Additionally, it was revealed that, in response to the limitations of AI tutors, the participants exhibited four major emotional reactions: resentment, distrust, disengagement, and demotivation. CONCLUSION/IMPLICATIONS: The study highlights the importance of considering learner emotions and emotionality when teaching English through AI tutors.