Comparing the effects of intelligent personal assistant-human and human-human interactions on EFL learners’ willingness to communicate beyond the classroom

This study explored the effects of out-of-class interactions with intelligent personal assistants (IPAs) versus human interlocutors on EFL learners' willingness to communicate (WTC) in English. A total of 92 first-year college students were recruited to participate in interactive out-of-class activities, which were held in 10-min sessions twice a week for 12 weeks. The participants were divided into three groups: an IPA group, who interacted with Alexa or Google Assistant through a smartphone; an EL1 group, who interacted with L1 English speakers; and an EL2 group, who interacted with L2 English speakers. WTC questionnaires and focus-group interviews were used to evaluate WTC. Significant differences in WTC were discovered between the three groups. The IPA group had greater WTC than did the EL1 or EL2 group. The intergroup differences were attributable to the interaction of contextual (interlocutor and time), individual (L2 self-confidence, anxiety, and proficiency), and sociopolitical (Taiwan's K-12 education) factors. The participants in the IPA group emphasized that the mobility, convenience, interactivity, multifunctionality, and familiarity of IPAs on smartphones enabled them to practice speaking English anywhere, anytime, and at their own pace. IPAs, as supportive and patient learning partners, enhanced the learners' engagement, confidence, and thus WTC.