Mapping the Human-AI Interface in Language Teaching: EFL Teachers’ Perceptions and Professional Implications

This scoping review maps the emerging literature on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ attitudes toward artificial intelligence (AI) integration in education. Guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, studies published between 2020 and 2025 were identified, screened, and synthesized, resulting in 44 peer-reviewed articles. The findings reveal a dual pattern: teachers generally welcome AI for its potential to enhance instruction, automate administrative tasks, and increase learner en-gagement, yet they also voice concerns over professional integrity, job security, and ethical challenges. Evidence suggests that teachers are not passive recipients of technological change but actively adapt through professional development, peer collabo-ration, and strategic use of AI to sustain pedagogical authority. Positive perceptions are linked to institutional support, recogni-tion of benefits, and alignment with existing teaching philosophies, while negative perceptions often arise from unresolved challenges and risks. By surfacing these dynamics and gaps, the review provides a nuanced understanding of the evolving rela-tionship between EFL educators and AI, highlighting the need for policies and training that empower teachers to shape integra-tion in ways that safeguard professional identity and pedagogical integrity.