Invited Speeches
Plenary Speech
AI’s Transformation of Education: Opportunities and Challenges
Sangmin-Michelle Lee
(Kyunghee Univ.)
Abstract
Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have significantly transformed education, raising expectations, excitement, and concerns. The AI Digital Textbook, released this year, exemplifies this transformation by providing customized learning experiences tailored to individual students’ needs and knowledge levels through learning analytics and AI’s personalization capabilities. This groundbreaking initiative has been recognized as a valuable opportunity to achieve educational equity, a persistent challenge in public education systems (OECD, 2024). In addition to supporting personalized learning, AI extends human creativity and fosters computational creativity. Despite ongoing debate, AI has demonstrated creative capabilities comparable to humans (Guzik et al., 2023). Rather than diminishing human creativity, as some fear, AI can help students broaden their perspectives through collaboration and produce higher quality work. However, the benefits of AI come with significant challenges. Contrary to expectations, AI may exacerbate educational inequality due to data and algorithmic biases, varying levels of AI literacy, and the emerging “AI divide.” In addition, the integration of AI B numerous ethical considerations that must be addressed. Perhaps most concerning is the potential for students to become overly reliant on AI and potentially less inclined to think critically, an impact that could profoundly affect students' futures and prove difficult to reverse. Given society's current trajectory, it is impossible to avoid integrating AI into education. Therefore, it is up to educators to determine how, when, and why to incorporate AI into their classrooms. We are at a critical juncture in education where these decisions will shape learning for generations to come. References Guzik, E., Byrge, C., & Gilde, C. (2023). The originality of machines: AI takes the Torrent test. Journal of Creativity, 22(3), 100065. OECD. (2024). The potential impact of artificial intelligence on equity and inclusion in education. OECD.
Sangmin-Michelle Lee is a professor in the Department of Metaverse at Kyung Hee University, Korea. Her research interests include virtual reality, machine translation, game-based learning, and digital creativity. She has published numerous papers and book chapters on technology-enhanced learning. She is an associate editor of Language Learning and Technology, Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, and JALT-CALL.
Plenary Speech
The AI Revolution in Language Learning:
A New Frontier or an Emerging Threat?
Nam Ju Kim
(Yeonsei Univ.)
Abstract
The core issue of AI innovation in education is no longer whether to use it but how to use it effectively. By leveraging vast amounts of data, AI can predict learners’ behaviors and intentions in real time and respond immediately, enabling highly personalized learning experiences. This potential is especially significant in language education, where learning is profoundly shaped by cultural and social contexts. While AI creates new opportunities to enhance adaptability, motivation, and learner-centered instruction, it also raises critical questions about authenticity, intercultural understanding, and the indispensable role of human interaction in language learning. This talk examines whether AI represents the frontier of innovation in language education—transforming teaching and learning practices and expanding access—or whether it remains a barrier that may constrain cultural depth, nuanced communication, and the holistic development of learners. By critically addressing both potentials and limitations, the session invites participants to reconsider the role of AI not as a simple tool but as a transformative force whose value depends on its thoughtful integration into pedagogical practice.
(현) 연세대학교 교육학과 AI기반 에듀테크 전공 교수
(현) 연세대학교 AI혁신연구원 에듀테크센터장
(현) 연세대학교 교육대학원 교육공학 전공주임 교수
(현) 연세대학교 교육연구소 부소장
(현) 미국 교육부 온라인학습플랫폼 자문위원
(전) 미국 마이애미대학교 (플로리다) 교수
(전) 미국 마이애미 대학교 러닝사이언스대학원 프로그램 디렉터