Enhancing Oral Language Skills with Pi AI: A Study on Speaking and Pronunciation Gains

Learners often struggle with speaking and pronunciation due to insufficient practice and feedback opportunities in real situations, which classroom instruction cannot provide adequately. This paper examined the effectiveness of Pi AI, an AI-powered chatbot, in improving speaking and pronunciation among Omani EFL learners. In this investigation, 60 students were randomly divided into experimental (n = 30) and control groups (n = 30). Speaking pretests were conducted to ensure all participants had similar speaking skills. While both groups received regular classroom instruction, the experimental group received additional practice through Pi AI for a month of treatment period. Speaking posttests were conducted to compare the results with the pretests. Findings showed that the experimental group performed better than their peers in the control group on both speaking and pronunciation posttests. The findings are helpful for students, teachers, and educational institutions.