Artificial Intelligence in French and Spanish Foreign Language Education: A Systematic Review and Future Perspectives

Abstract

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into foreign language education has gained increasing attention, yet research on its application beyond English remains scarce. This systematic review examines the use of AI in French and Spanish foreign language education from 2018 to 2025, analyzing empirical studies conducted in (high) school and higher education settings. Following the PRISMA framework, a total of 14 relevant studies were identified and thematically categorized. The findings highlight that AI applications, particularly chatbots and automated writing tools, are primarily used to enhance writing skills, cultural learning, and critical thinking. While AI offers opportunities for personalized learning, increased engagement, and improved feedback mechanisms, challenges remain, including the risk of uncritical AI reliance, the need for digital competencies among educators and learners, and tensions between human creativity and AI-generated outputs. The review underscores the necessity for further research, particularly qualitative and longitudinal studies, to explore the long-term effects of AI on language acquisition. Future investigations should focus on productive skills, multilingualism, and the application of AI in lower intermediate levels and special needs education. By systematically synthesizing existing research and identifying gaps, this study contributes to a more informed and evidence-based integration of AI into foreign language teaching.