A Psycholinguistic Analysis of the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Foreign Language Teaching

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an essential tool in exploring principles of linguistics and foreign language teaching. A key question is whether AI-based language learning tasks provide ecologically valid measures of foreign language skills assessments (FLSAs). This study investigates the relationship between performance in AI-driven artificial language tasks and subsequent acquisition of Chinese as a foreign language (L2). Eighty-eight university students were assessed using artificial language learning tests, standardized Chinese language evaluations, and psycholinguistic measures of working memory and intelligence. Results revealed strong positive correlations between success in AI tasks — particularly those involving complex artificial grammars — and classroom Chinese learning outcomes, even after controlling for general intelligence and bilingual background. These findings highlight the value of AI paradigms as both pedagogical tools and experimental frameworks, offering insights into the cognitive mechanisms that underlie second language acquisition.