Does Artificial Intelligence (AI) Nurture or Hinder Language Learners' Higher‐ Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)? A Phenomenological Study on L2 Learners' Perspectives and Lived Experiences

ABSTRACT The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in language classrooms has sparked some debates among academics and educators regarding the potential implications of this advanced technology for learners’ cognitive development. To resolve these debates, some research studies have recently probed the influences of AI technologies on students’ higher‐order thinking skills (HOTS), which are crucial for creativity, critical thinking, and problem‐solving. However, due to the excessive reliance of previous studies on quantitative research approaches, the ways in which AI can influence students’ higher‐order thinking skills are still not thoroughly understood. To gain a deeper insight into the effects of AI on students’ cognitive development, this phenomenological study examined the perspectives and lived experiences of second and foreign language (L2) learners regarding the role of this emerging technology in their higher‐order thinking abilities. In so doing, a purposive sample of 36 L2 learners was drawn from different universities in Iran. The required data were gleaned via semi‐structured interviews and narrative frames and thematically analyzed through the latest version of MAXQDA software (v. 2024). The findings of the thematic analysis indicated that AI serves as a double‐edged sword, capable of both fostering and impeding the development of higher‐order thinking skills in language learners. While some participants maintained that AI tools can foster language learners’ HOTS, others expressed concerns that over‐reliance on AI may diminish language learners’ capacity to analyze and evaluate. The findings drawn from this research can greatly contribute to our knowledge of AI and its implications in language classrooms.