EXPLORING THE USE AND IMPACT OF AI TOOLS ON EFL STUDENTS’ ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING AT ULM

The present study aimed to investigate Artificial Intelligence as a standard tool used for English language learning, and its vocabulary and sentence building. However, nobody knows which AI tools are most often used by the students, how often they use them, and whether they are helping or hindering their learning process in EFL classrooms at the University of Lakki Marwat (ULM), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The researchers employed a mixed-method approach for the present study. The data were collected for this research through interviews with the Department of English and Applied Linguistics, ULM students. The collected data for the present research study were analyzed through content and thematic analysis techniques, where the first technique deals with quantitative data and the second technique deals with a qualitative approach. The study found that students are try to use the AI tools for carrying out their class activities such as to get prepare the materials for exam preparation, presentation, assignments, or for building up their language commands whereas it may or may not be weaken their creative skills and critical thinking abilities depending on the excessive or alleviated use. The study concluded that the multiple AI tools such as ChatGpt, Meta-AI, Grammarly, DeepSeek etc. are used to encourage learners' competency and improve their vocabulary and sentence structure comprehension.