Opportunities and Challenges of Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Adult Higher-Education English Instruction

Abstract

Against the backdrop of the rapid advancement and widespread application of artificial intelligence technologies in education, it is of great significance to examine their application in adult higher-education English instruction. Employing the quantitative questionnaire and qualitative interview approach to collect rich, first-hand data, this study focuses on 225 adult English-major learners and 20 instructors from the School of Continuing Education at a university to systematically explore the opportunities and challenges presented by AI integration in adult higher-education English teaching. Findings indicate that AI offers marked advantages in constructing personalized learning pathways, simulating oral interaction scenarios, and enhancing the efficiency of instructional feedback, while disparities in learners' technological literacy, concerns regarding data validity, and the need for teacher training and assessment-framework redesign remain pressing issues. The study further proposes concrete policy and practice recommendations, providing actionable strategies to guide the effective implementation and optimization of AI in adult English education.