Artificial Intelligence-Driven Edutainment in Language Education: A Qualitative Exploration of Pedagogical Transformation

The integration of edutainment and Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in contemporary education, particularly in second language learning. Edutainment combines educational content with entertainment elements to enhance engagement, while AI introduces adaptive, personalized, and data-driven learning environments. This qualitative study explores students’ perceptions, experiences, and challenges associated with AI-driven edutainment. Using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, the study identifies key themes related to engagement, personalization, skill development, and challenges. The findings reveal that AI-powered edutainment fosters interactive learning, enhances motivation, and supports language acquisition. However, issues such as digital inequality, ethical concerns, and teacher preparedness remain significant barriers. The study contributes to the growing body of research on AI in education and provides insights for integrating innovative pedagogies in second language classrooms.