The role of GenAI in learning Chinese as a foreign language: perspectives from university students in Ireland

Abstract

Abstract Generative AI (GenAI) is reshaping language education and continues to shape how learners access, produce and evaluate knowledge. Its application in learning Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) in Ireland, however, remains limited and underexplored. This study investigates how university students in Ireland engage with GenAI tools to support their CFL learning. As a small-scale exploratory study, an anonymous online questionnaire was distributed across five Irish universities between May and June 2025, yielding 19 valid responses from students across four year groups. Quantitative data show the distribution of GenAI use while thematic analysis of open-ended responses provides insights into learners’ experiences, orientations and ethical perspectives. The findings reveal three preliminary learner personas, namely pragmatic users, critical users and principled non-users. Overall, GenAI emerges as a conditional learning partner that offers both pedagogical benefits and challenges. By offering empirical evidence from an underrepresented context, this research helps inform CFL curriculum design, language teacher education and policy development to ensure the responsible use of GenAI in higher education.