International Journal of Education

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in education has become a pivotal direction in global educational reform, yet its specific impacts and implementation pathways require systematic exploration. This paper conducts a systematic review of AI research in basic education from 2020 to 2025, analyzing current trends, core themes, and future directions. By examining 261 AI-related literature articles on English teaching in primary and secondary schools from three academic databases (CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang), this study investigates AIs influence on English instruction. Findings reveal that AI applications in this field primarily focus on academic behavior prediction (37.9%), curriculum design (30.3%), interdisciplinary integration (16.9%), and intelligent tutoring tool development (14.9%), significantly enhancing teaching efficiency and student engagement. However, challenges such as data privacy, technological over-reliance, and urban-rural resource disparities remain unresolved. The study proposes future strategies to strengthen teacher training, optimize technological adaptability, and promote policy support, aiming to achieve deeper integration of AI and English language education.

Artificial Intelligence; Primary and Secondary Education; English Teaching