Enhancing the emotional aspects of language education through generative artificial intelligence (GenAI): A qualitative investigation

This qualitative study investigates the impact of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) on the emotional engagement, motivation and well-being of first-year university students in Hong Kong. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 students and three instructors to explore their perceptions of how GenAI influences the affective dimensions of language learning. The data were analyzed using manual coding and inductive thematic analysis to identify key themes. The findings revealed that GenAI generally enhances students’ motivation, reduces anxiety and stress, and fosters an emotionally supportive learning environment. However, challenges related to cultural context and technical issues were also…