Generative Artificial Intelligence Empowering Foreign Language Education and Teaching Reform: Mechanism, Risk, and Response

Abstract

The rapid development of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is profoundly changing the form and paradigm of foreign language education. GenAI technology, represented by DeepSeek, provides technical support for personalization, immersion, and intelligence of foreign language teaching by virtue of its natural language processing, multimodal content generation, and cross-cultural simulation capabilities. From the three dimensions of “teaching reconstruction,” “learning innovation,” and “education upgrading,” this paper systematically analyzes the internal mechanism of GenAI empowering foreign language education and reveals its unique value in language knowledge transmission, skill training, and cultural understanding. At the same time, considering that GenAI may lead to language model errors in foreign language education, cultural misinterpretations, technological dependence, and data privacy risks, it is proposed to adopt coping strategies such as building an advanced literacy system, establishing a human-AI collaborative ecosystem, and implementing a transparent regulatory framework for algorithms. These measures aim to ensure the high-quality development of technology-integrated foreign language education, providing both theoretical support and practical pathways for cultivating globally competent talents with intercultural communication skills and digital literacy.