Future changes in teachers' professional roles under the impact of artificial intelligence: A study in English as a foreign language education

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has demonstrated its benefits for students learning English as a foreign language (EFL). However, this does not mean teachers are obsolete when AI in education (AIED) is employed. Grounded in self-determination theory and the holistic integration approach, this study explored the significance of human agency in AIED to measure three learning outcomes: students' intrinsic motivation, classroom anxiety, and willingness to communicate in EFLclasses. Its findings suggest that students who received human-centered teacher-student-GenAI collaboration developed better in all three areas than those who only had student-GenAI interactions. Moreover, the holistic integration approach promoted teacher immediacy and teacher-student rapport that supported students' development. In a climate where an instrumentalist view of education is prevalent and digital devices are commonly banned, this study interpreted the changing roles of EFL teachers under AIED systems, suggesting ways that students can benefit from both technological advancements and human agency in education. Copyright © 2025 IEEE.