Incorporating ChatGPT in Saudi EFL Classrooms: Oscillating Between Expectations and Anxiety

AI-powered language instructions are being incorporated across educational institutions globally. Open AI's ChatGPT is being utilized for addressing multiple challenges and issues inadequately tackled by conventional methods of instruction. As today’s tech-savvy young FL learners respond more actively to AI-powered instructions, this study aims to understand their expectations, EFL instructors’ perspectives, and anxieties about ChatGPT’s incorporation in EFL classrooms. A questionnaire with self-designed and carefully reproduced earlier research items was sent to randomly selected students and instructors using simple random selection. While descriptive statistics was utilized for quantitative data, thematic analysis was employed for qualitative responses. It was revealed that Saudi EFL learners were excited and positive about ChatGPT's incorporation into EFL classrooms. While the findings of the quantitative data of the language instructors supported and corroborated the perspectives of EFL students, the analysis of qualitative data revealed that they had serious reservations regarding the adverse impact of ChatGPT on students' creative and analytical skills. It was also revealed that they had anxieties about the detrimental impacts of using this tool without being guided or monitored, including disinformation, and incorrect data that could lead to detrimental methods of instruction. The study offers significant educational implications and teaching potential, which could assist language instructors and policymakers in fulfilling the requirements of young learners as well as overcoming ethical and academic challenges.