Students’ Perceptions of the Benefits of Using Character.AI for Speaking Practice
Abstract
This study explores students' perceptions of the role of Character.AI in developing speaking skills and supporting adaptive communicative practice. As artificial intelligence (AI) in language education continues to transform English language teaching, Character.AI offers a potential solution by providing persona-driven dialogues that simulate real-life interactions through various characters. This study employed a qualitative phenomenological approach involving eighth-semester students of the English Education Study Program who had experience using Character.AI for speaking practice. Data were collected through triangulation methods, including questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using thematic analysis to ensure credibility. The findings revealed several benefits, such as improvements in fluency, vocabulary, confidence, motivation, comfort, flexibility in practice, reduced anxiety, and increased willingness to speak. However, limitations were found in generating unnatural responses, indicating that it cannot fully replace authentic human communication. Therefore, Character.AI is best used as a supplementary tool to prepare students for real-life interaction.
Keywords
References
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.31004/jele.v11i3.2398
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