A look at how AI tools are revolutionizing language acquisition at Colorado State University Pueblo while exposing a wider divide in academic attitudes toward emerging technology

Schools today aren’t asking if they should use AI—they’re figuring out how to use it right. Since ChatGPT burst onto the scene two years back, it’s stirred up both hope and worry. Now, educators everywhere are dipping their toes in these digital waters while the experts keep arguing about the best way forward in this brave new AI classroom.

At Colorado State University Pueblo, Dr. Alegría Ribadeneira is leading language learning through artificial intelligence. As Distinguished Professor, Department Chair, Director of World Languages, and Open Educational Resources (OER) Faculty Lead, she’s transforming how students learn languages by embracing AI rather than restricting it.

“My students create beautiful children’s books in Spanish using AI tools,” explains Dr. Ribadeneira, showcasing a colorful collection of student-published works available free online. “They generate the initial text in their target language, refine it with AI assistance, and then create illustrations—all while developing genuine language skills.”

Dr. Ribadeneira makes these student-created books freely available as free textbooks or OER, allowing language learners worldwide to benefit from her students’ creative work.

This initiative aims to remove financial barriers to language education while maintaining high academic standards.

“When students see their work published and helping others learn, it creates incredible motivation,” she notes. “The free accessibility means their creative efforts have real-world impact beyond the classroom.”Dr. Ribadeneira encourages students to document their own stories or the stories of others, including children’s stories that become accessible to all.

Stories and Histories

In her courses, students also design AI-powered chatbots that serve as 24/7 conversation partners in their target language. These personalized language assistants help students practice Spanish or at any time, removing a significant barrier to language acquisition—limited opportunities to converse with fluent speakers.

“The chatbots become customized tutors,” Dr. Ribadeneira explains. “Students program them with specific vocabulary and cultural contexts they want to explore, creating a safe space to practice without fear of judgment.”

There is extensive research demonstrating the benefits of project-based, content-based, and community-based instruction paired with open educational practices. By incorporating AI tools, Dr. Ribadeneira has seen remarkable improvements in student engagement and language acquisition.

When AI Meets Education

Part of the rigorous inquiry around AI in education includes a focus on the intersection of AI and language learning. At a time when students can easily use apps like Grammarly to improve their essays or Duolingo to practice their foreign language skills, what boundaries and best practices do education leaders need to foster effective, enriching learning?

Not everyone views AI integration positively. Some faculty members consider AI use a form of cheating, creating tensions across college campuses. In an April 2025 article in The New Yorker, Joshua Rothman explores this tension, noting that “artificial intelligence will affect us all, but a politics of AI has yet to materialize.” The article suggests that while technical experts dominate AI development, broader societal input remains limited.

Rothman’s concerns echo those of some faculty who worry about AI’s impact on traditional learning. If students can generate essays with minimal effort, what skills are they actually developing? This question represents the core conflict in education today.

A student using AI simply to outline an essay recently found himself in trouble with another professor who maintains a strict no-AI policy. This incident highlights the inconsistency in approaches to technology across departments and disciplines, creating confusion for students navigating different expectations.

Finding Value in Effort

In his New Yorker piece, Rothman touches on a fundamental question that resonates with educators: Why even try when you have AI? He explores different types of repetitive learning activities—some aimed at perfection, others at exploration and discovery. The latter combines repetition with variation to deepen inner resources and expand possibilities, reflecting a growing sense that human learning must evolve alongside AI tools.

Dr. Ribadeneira acknowledges these concerns but sees them as opportunities for pedagogical evolution. “We need to adapt our assessments and expectations,” she says. “Instead of fighting against these tools, we should teach students to use them effectively and ethically.”

This strategy becomes increasingly relevant as ChatGPT remains the most widely used AI tool, followed by Microsoft CoPilot and Gemini. As these technologies become more integrated into students’ lives outside the classroom, prohibitive policies may become increasingly difficult to enforce.

A Broader Perspective

This creative method comes at a time when views on AI remain deeply divided. A 2024 Pew Research Center report found that while 56% of AI experts believe AI will have a positive impact on the United States over the next 20 years, only 17% of the general public shares this optimism.

For Dr. Ribadeneira, the path forward for language education is clear: use AI to empower students while maintaining high standards. As universities wrestle with these questions, she continues to pioneer methods that harness AI’s potential while addressing legitimate pedagogical concerns. Her students’ published books and growing language skills suggest she may be onto something.

For the next generation of language learners, the question may not be whether to use AI, but how to use it most effectively.