THE CURRENT STATE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS OF THE INTEGRATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGIES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION AT UNIVERSITIES

Background. Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies hold significant promise for revolutionizing foreign language teaching methods. Current AI tools enable teachers to customize learning experiences, adapting materials and techniques to meet each learner's specific needs. By incorporating dynamic assessment into learning management systems, student progress is continually monitored, allowing educators to promptly adjust their teaching strategies. Immersive technologies, like virtual and augmented reality, offer interactive language environments where students can engage in real-life scenarios to practice their language skills. Speech synthesis technologies allow teachers to convert written text into spoken language, which improves students’ pronunciation and speaking skills. The purpose of the study is to examine the use of AI tools in teaching foreign languages at Russian universities and future trends in this area. Materials and methods. The authors analyzed current domestic and international scientific works on the integration of AI tools in foreign language education and conducted a study on the perception and evaluation of the aforementioned technology within the Russian teaching community. Results. A survey of 104 teachers showed the staff interest in mastering new technologies and their readiness to develop professional skills for the successful use of AI in the educational process. The study analyzes the current state of the field, identifies potential risks and discusses development prospects. The impact of AI on foreign language education tends to grow in the nearest future, opening up new opportunities for more effective and accessible learning.