CHAT GPT AS AN INNOVATIVE TOOL FOR ADULTS’ LANGUAGE LEARNING

Abstract. This study explores the role of ChatGPT as an innovative tool for adult self-directed language learning. Thirty adult learners aged 20–30 participated in the research, providing insights into how they use ChatGPT, how effective they find it, and how the tool influences their motivation and autonomy. The results show that most participants use ChatGPT regularly—daily or weekly—mainly for grammar correction, vocabulary development, and writing practice. Learners reported high levels of satisfaction, increased motivation, and greater confidence in their independent learning. The findings indicate that ChatGPT is particularly effective for improving text-based skills, offering immediate feedback, clear explanations, and flexible on-demand support. However, limitations were also identified, including occasional inaccuracies, limited opportunities for speaking practice, difficulty formulating effective prompts, and the risk of overreliance on AI. Overall, the study highlights ChatGPT’s strong potential as a supplementary tool that enhances adult learners’ autonomy and learning experiences, while emphasizing the need for human guidance and diverse learning strategies to support oral and interactive skills. Future research should focus on long-term outcomes and the integration of AI tools with various forms of language practice.

Keywords: ChatGPT, adults` language learning, generative AI, self-directed learning, OpenAI.

1. Introduction

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly transformed the field of education, offering new tools and opportunities for personalized and flexible learning. Among the most influential AI innovations is ChatGPT, an advanced large language model developed by OpenAI. As a generative AI system, ChatGPT is capable of understanding context, producing coherent text, answering questions, and engaging in interactive dialogue. Its design allows it to simulate human-like communication, making it especially useful in language education. Because it is accessible on multiple digital platforms and can respond instantly, ChatGPT represents a significant shift in how learners interact with educational content. For adult learners—who often face challenges such as limited time, lack of access to native speakers, and irregular study schedules—AI-powered tools like ChatGPT offer a flexible, affordable, and highly adaptive learning environment that supports autonomy, motivation, and continuous progress.

When OpenAI launched ChatGPT back in November 2022, it didn’t just introduce another tech tool—it opened up a whole new world for language learners. Built on the GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) platform, ChatGPT picks up on human language fast. It explains ideas, gives examples, and can hold a real conversation. With GPT-4 and GPT-5, the model has only gotten sharper, better at personalizing its responses. Now, people everywhere see ChatGPT as something that’s genuinely shifting language learning—making it faster, more flexible, and accessible from anywhere.

For adults, picking up a new language often feels tough. Time is short, schedules are packed, teachers and native speakers aren’t always around. That’s where ChatGPT steps in. It gives instant feedback, lets you practice conversations, corrects your writing, and adapts to your needs day or night. Independent learners, in particular, benefit from this kind of freedom—they can shape their own progress without waiting for someone else to guide them.

Researchers back this up. Lee, Wang, and Bonk (2023) found that ChatGPT actually boosts independent learning. Adults use it to plan, track, and evaluate progress, all with AI’s feedback loop. People in their study said they felt more motivated and confident—no fear of messing up in front of others. That lines up well with what matters in adult education: giving learners autonomy, helping them self-regulate, and offering support that adapts to the individual.

Other researchers have tested ChatGPT in more formal settings. Sheikh, Yayilgan, Klimova, and Pikhart (2023) looked at tasks like writing, grammar checks, and vocabulary drills. Adult learners said they found ChatGPT effective, engaging, and flexible. It fits into structured courses but still lets busy adults keep learning on their own terms.

Looking at recent reviews, the picture is nuanced. Wang et al. (2024) point out that most studies so far look at writing and how learners feel about using ChatGPT. Speaking skills and adult learners haven’t gotten as much attention. They highlight some key areas—new teaching methods, AI literacy, ethical questions—and make it clear there are still research gaps, especially in adult education. The Smart Learning Environments study (2024) also sees promise. ChatGPT helps with grammar, vocabulary, and creative writing, but the risks are real: errors, academic integrity problems, and more. The takeaway? ChatGPT should support teachers, not replace them—it boosts engagement and independence, but human guidance still matters.

One more thing: ChatGPT isn’t just a practice partner. It can actually create educational materials tailored for adults. Laker, Finnegan, Gillen, and Chukurova (2023) showed that large language models generate high-quality, customizable resources, letting adults follow learning paths that fit their goals and experience.

All things considered, ChatGPT is a major step forward for adult language education. It gives people the tools to set their own goals, stay motivated, and learn independently, with the kind of flexible support you’d expect from a personal tutor. If we use it thoughtfully, it points toward a future where AI and human teachers work together—making language learning more accessible, more personal, and much more flexible.

2. Methodology

This study set out to explore how ChatGPT fits into adult language learning—looking at how effective it is, how easy it feels to use, and whether it actually helps learners become more independent. Thirty adults took part, all between 20 and 30 years old, and each of them learned a language on their own, outside any official course. Everyone needed at least basic digital skills and steady internet access, whether on a computer or smartphone. The study left out people under 20 and anyone enrolled in formal language classes, to keep the focus on independent adult learners.

The group came from all sorts of backgrounds—students, office workers, freelancers. Their language skills ranged from beginner to above average, which pretty much captures the diversity you see among real-world learners. They used their target languages for all kinds of reasons: work, school, or just personal interest. Most wanted to get better at writing, speaking, vocabulary, and grammar.

To find partcipants, we reached out to online language learning communities and social media groups, picking a targeted sample that fit what we needed. The study took place fully online over a week, so people could fit it around their jobs and other commitments. Everyone joined in voluntarily and gave informed consent, with no payment offered. We made sure to protect participants' privacy and followed all the usual research ethics.

We gathered data with a structured online questionnaire that covered several areas: demographics (like age, gender, language level, and learning experience), how they used ChatGPT (how often, what for—conversation practice, grammar, vocab), how useful they found it, its effect on motivation and independence, and any problems they ran into. The survey used multiple choice, Likert scales, and open-ended questions to draw out more detail.

The main focus was on how learners felt about ChatGPT’s effectiveness, its impact on their ability to learn independently, and whether it boosted their motivation and sense of autonomy. We also looked at how often people used it, what features they liked, and any issues or limitations they noticed. For the numbers, we used descriptive stats—frequency and percentages—to sum up trends and opinions. For the open-ended responses, we used thematic analysis to spot common themes and get a deeper sense of learners’ experiences, struggles, and what they found helpful.

We went through all the responses carefully, dropping any that were too vague or incomplete to add real value. By blending quantitative and qualitative analysis, we built a well-rounded picture of how ChatGPT actually supports adult self-directed language learning. The whole approach sticks to the principles laid out in the introduction, highlighting how AI can make learning more flexible, accessible, and tailored to individual needs.

3. Results

Demographic Characteristics

The study involved 30 adult learners of English, aged between 20 and 30 years, with a mean age of 23.7 years. They came from all sorts of backgrounds—some were university students, others worked in offices, a few freelanced, and several held different professional roles, but all were learning English on their own. Out of everyone, 18 were women and 12 were men, so gender balance wasn’t an issue.

Their English skills covered the usual range for adult learners. Nine were at the A2 elementary level, twelve at B1 intermediate, six at B2 upper-intermediate, and three had advanced or proficient skills—C1 or C2. Most landed in the intermediate group. That says something: ChatGPT seems to attract people who already have the basics down and want to get better.

Every participant said they studied English independently, though three admitted they sometimes joined formal classes. So, for the most part, these learners took charge of their own studies and made their own plans. When asked why they used ChatGPT, most pointed to career growth, academic goals, or just plain curiosity about the language.

The mix of backgrounds, skill levels, and reasons for learning gave a pretty full picture of how ChatGPT works for adult learners of different types.

Table 1.

Demographic Profile of Participants

Frequency and Duration of ChatGPT Use

Participants reported varied frequency of ChatGPT usage. Daily usage was the most common pattern, with twelve participants using ChatGPT every day. Ten participants reported using the tool several times per week, five participants several times per month, and three participants less than once a month. Overall, over seventy percent of participants incorporated ChatGPT into their regular study routines at least weekly, highlighting its integration as a habitual tool for self-directed study. The flexibility of the platform enables learners to fit practice into their schedules, regardless of time constraints.

The duration of ChatGPT usage per session also varied among participants. Four participants reported spending less than ten minutes per session, often using the tool for quick exercises such as correcting grammar or checking vocabulary. Eleven participants used ChatGPT for 10 to 20 minutes per session, while ten participants engaged in medium-length sessions of 20 to 40 minutes. Five participants reported using ChatGPT for more than 40 minutes at a time, indicating that some learners engage in more extensive practice, potentially combining multiple activities such as writing, reading, and conversation exercises. This variability demonstrates the adaptability of ChatGPT to different learning habits, allowing learners to customize their study sessions according to time availability and learning objectives.

Table 2.

ChatGPT Usage Frequency

Activities Performed Using ChatGPT

With ChatGPT, participants engaged in a range of learning activities. Grammar correction was the most frequent activity, taken up by 23 participants, suggesting that immediate feedback on their writing and grammar is highly valued by learners. Vocabulary practice was also popular, utilized regularly by 20 participants. Writing exercises were conducted by 18 participants, which evidences that ChatGPT is very useful for receiving immediate feedback on written work. The least frequent was conversation practice with 15 participants, suggesting that though AI might have limitations in terms of simulating a natural spoken interaction, learners still try to develop oral skills. Ten participants reported using ChatGPT for reading activities or explanations of texts, showing that it can be useful in making texts more understandable and supporting the development of reading skills.

Table 3.

ChatGPT Activity Types

Perceived Helpfulness and Skill Improvement

The participants spoke highly of the overall usefulness of ChatGPT. Eighteen participants found it very useful, eight rated it as quite useful, three as somewhat useful, and one as slightly useful. In sum, 87% of the participants rated ChatGPT as very useful or quite useful. This stands for a high perceived value among independent learners. According to them, this platform has considerably reduced their learning difficulty by providing immediate feedback, giving personal explanations, and examples of proper use.

About the improvement of linguistic skills, the highest achievements for the respondents were observed in grammar, vocabulary, and writing. Twenty-five participants reported improvements in grammar, twenty-two in vocabulary, and twenty-one in writing. Fourteen participants reported improvements in speaking, thirteen in reading, and six in listening. These findings demonstrate that ChatGPT is more effective for textual skills, while oral and auditory skills develop less consistently because of limitations in the functions of interactive communication. Nevertheless, several participants used conversational exercises for practicing sentence construction and modeling dialogues, which shows a creative approach to developing speaking skills.

Satisfaction, Motivation, and Autonomy

The participants rated their satisfaction with the ChatGPT feedback. Sixteen participants reported that they were very satisfied, ten said they were satisfied, three were neutral, and one was slightly satisfied. Among the positive experiences that the participants mentioned, they included clarity, speed, and responsiveness of feedback. Getting a chance to instantly correct the mistakes enabled the students to fix the correct forms and rules without waiting for the teacher's feedback, which is important for adult students performing many kinds of duties.

On the motivational part, 22 participants (73%) showed agreement or strong agreement that using ChatGPT increased their motivation to learn about English. Furthermore, 24 participants (80%) reported that ChatGPT has helped them to learn more autonomously and is therefore helpful in developing self-learning skills. Eleven participants mentioned that they feel confident when practicing English with ChatGPT compared to people, which supports the idea that the tool creates a safe, unbiased space where learners can try and make mistakes without feeling embarrassed.

Challenges and Limitations

Despite the benefits, a number of problems in using ChatGPT were indicated by the participants. Sixteen participants identified that sometimes ChatGPT gave wrong or incomplete responses, which indicates periodic limitations in accuracy. Twelve participants mentioned that the practice of spoken language is limited; although ChatGPT allows writing and grammar, the opportunities for oral interaction are limited. Eight participants have pointed out excessive reliance on AI, which they feel may diminish the capacity for independent problem-solving and critical thinking. Six participants thought that it was difficult to create effective prompts and supposed that students need some level of digital literacy to be able to get maximum benefit from this tool. Further, periodic unclear explanations, AI errors, or problems with effectively formulating questions have been indicated.

Participants also reported the aspects they liked most, which were immediate feedback, grammar correction, vocabulary expansion, clear explanations, and flexible on-demand learning. In contrast, the difficulties mentioned by participants included the correct formulation of prompts, the correction of AI mistakes, and fluency practice, which shows that extra learning strategies are still required besides using ChatGPT.

Summary of Findings

The results show that ChatGPT is widely used and appreciated by adult learners to learn English independently, especially to improve grammar, vocabulary, and writing. Most participants integrate ChatGPT into their daily or weekly classes, usually using it for 10-40 minutes. Participants note a high degree of satisfaction, increased motivation, and increased autonomy, reflecting ChatGPT's role as an auxiliary, flexible, and accessible tool. Among the problems noted are AI errors, limited oral practice, and potential over-reliance, which indicates that ChatGPT should complement, rather than replace, human-led learning. Demographic analysis reveals that the most active users were middle-level students (B1), indicating that ChatGPT attracts particularly those who want to consolidate and expand already acquired skills. For independent learners, flexibility, immediate feedback, and the chance to practice independently are very positive. Overall, this study shows the potential of ChatGPT as an AI-based add-on for adult language learning, especially in textual skills, but points to areas which need careful monitoring and supplementation by other means with regard to oral and interactive practice.

4. Conclusion

The study has investigated the role that ChatGPT plays in adult self-directed language learning, particularly in terms of its usefulness, ease of use, and impact on learner autonomy. It can be seen that ChatGPT is widely used and valued by adult learners aged 20-30, which especially helps with grammar, vocabulary, and the development of writing skills. Most participants incorporated ChatGPT into a daily or weekly study routine, usually spending between 10 to 40 minutes per session. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction, increased motivation, and confidence in their independent language learning, supporting the use of ChatGPT as a flexible and accessible tool for adult learners.

The following are a number of challenges and limitations that the study identified: Participants reported that ChatGPT sometimes gave incorrect or incomplete answers, communication practice was limited, overreliance on AI may reduce independent problem-solving skills, and some learners struggled to create effective prompts which best activate the AI's support. These findings suggest that although ChatGPT is particularly effective for developing text-based skills, it needs supplementation with other learning strategies, such as practicing communication with human partners, working with authentic materials, and cross-checking AI suggestions.

By demographics, the most active users were students at the B1 level of English proficiency, meaning that ChatGPT attracted those students who knew the basics of English and wanted to double and extend their knowledge. Advanced learners used ChatGPT to clarify some specific points. Beginners appreciated its grammar and vocabulary suggestions. In general, the conditions of ChatGPT-solution offer the setting which enhances independence, self-reflection, and experimentation—a setting allowing learners to make errors, get immediate feedback, and improve at their own pace.

This paper contributes to the recent relevant literature on language learning using artificial intelligence, which further establishes the findings of previous studies concerning the effectiveness of using AI tools to promote greater student autonomy, motivation, and engagement in Li, Wang, & Bonk (2023), Shaikh et al. (2023), and Wang et al. (2024). While artificial intelligence cannot replace human teachers completely, it can be used as a supplementary tutor by providing personalized feedback, flexible learning schedules, and support for various language skills. Future research needs to look at long-term learning outcomes, the development of speaking and listening exercises, and approaches to deal with AI errors and overdependency on AI.

This is why ChatGPT represents such an important step forward in education for adults, giving them fast, flexible, and accessible tools from anywhere in the world. A blend of AI-assisted work, conventional instruction, and independent work will allow the active adult learner to create a much more effective and personalized way of learning. Mindful and intentional use of ChatGPT means that the maximum benefits are gained by learners with minimum possibility of any downsides, promoting independence, motivation, and confidence in the process of language learning.