The Impact of Implementing AI-Generated Audio Transcriptions on English Majors’ Cognitive Load

AI has become a daily personal tutoring system to address the needs of English majors, particularly those seeking a revolution in listening methods. Automatic AI-Generated Audio transcriptions (AIGATs) can improve learners' listening comprehension (Cao, Yamashita, & Ishida, 2018); however, there are concerns that if AI transcriptions lack thoroughness, it may negatively affect learners' cognition. Within the confines of this study, we investigate how AIGATs engender a profound impact on 86 English majors’ cognitive load (CogL) and their perspectives towards the applications of AIGATs. The participants were divided into two groups: one was exposed to the listening practice sessions with AIGATs, and the rest with their own transcriptions (PTs). Data is collected through CogL scales on AIGATs and PTs groups, respectively. A semi-structured interview was conducted to examine the AIGATs group’s perspectives. The findings revealed statistically significant differences in the two groups’ CogL test scores. Using AIGATs helps students lower their CogL test scores and enhance their cognitive abilities in handling task complexity. This research provides valuable insights for integrating AI into language education, helping educators create more efficient language instruction methods for English learners in the digital age.