Beyond f ormal school education: The use of AI in EFL education from a lifelong education perspective

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) has increasingly been incorporated into English education, yet much of the existing discussion has focused on formal school and university settings. This study examines the use of AI in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education beyond formal schooling from a lifelong learning perspective. A critical narrative review was conducted to explore how AI may be used across different learning contexts, including early childhood education, supplementary education for school-age learners, English learning for practical purposes among adults, and English learning among older adults. The review suggests that the educational value of AI cannot be determined by its technological functions alone. Learners differ in their goals, degree of choice, available support, and preferred forms of participation, and the same AI function may therefore provide different opportunities and constraints. The review further suggests that AI-assisted task performance should be distinguished from independent language development and from participation in activities that learners themselves value. Effective AI use also requires context-sensitive approaches to feedback, AI literacy and self-regulated learning, privacy protection and responsibilities for learner support, and changes in learning goals over time. Future research should examine AI use in actual out-of-school EFL settings and consider the broader instructional and support systems in which the technology is embedded. This perspective may contribute to a more learner-centered understanding of AI-supported lifelong EFL education.