Enhancing English Language Learning in the Digital Era through Artificial Intelligence: A Humanities and Buddhist Educational Approach

บทคัดย่อ

This article examines the development of English language learning in the digital age through Artificial Intelligence (AI)–assisted educational practices from a humanities and Buddhist educational perspective. While contemporary discussions of AI in language education frequently emphasize technological efficiency, automation, and performance optimization, this study foregrounds human-centered values, ethical awareness, mindfulness, and holistic learner development. In contemporary higher education, English functions not only as a tool for academic and professional communication but also as a medium for intercultural dialogue and ethical engagement within global knowledge communities. Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives from applied linguistics, humanities education, educational technology, and Buddhist philosophy, the study conceptualizes AI not as a neutral or autonomous technology but as an assistive pedagogical tool embedded within social, cultural, and ethical contexts. From this perspective, AI-assisted English learning is understood as both shaping and being shaped by educational values, institutional assumptions, and pedagogical practices. The analysis indicates that AI-based learning environments can effectively support the development of core language competencies—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—through personalized feedback, interactive learning opportunities, and expanded access to linguistic resources. However, the findings also suggest that uncritical reliance on AI risks reducing language education to instrumental efficiency, algorithmic assessment, and automated performance measurement, thereby overlooking the broader educational goals of critical thinking, intercultural understanding, and ethical communication.

The study contributes to the body of knowledge by proposing a “middle-path model” of AI-assisted English learning, informed by Buddhist educational principles and humanistic pedagogy. This model positions AI as a supportive learning condition rather than a replacement for human teaching and reflective learning. By integrating technological affordances with ethical awareness, mindfulness, and learner-centered pedagogy, the model offers a conceptual framework for balancing technological innovation with the cultivation of responsible, reflective, and globally engaged language learners in the digital age.