Title: Algorithm or Ally? AI, Global English, and the Future of Language Learning
Sponsoring Entity: MLA LSL Global English Forum
Convention: MLA 2027 (Los Angeles, Jan 7–10)

Description: The future of Global English is now inextricably linked to the rise of Artificial Intelligence. This session investigates a fundamental tension: Is AI democratizing language access, or is it a new, automated iteration of "Linguistic Imperialism"?

In the spirit of the 2027 Presidential Theme, "Emancipatory Narratives," we are inviting papers that explore the paradox of AI-mediated communication. On one hand, these tools can be emancipatory—offering marginalized speakers the "keys to the kingdom" and immediate agency in an English-dominant world. On the other hand, since most AI models are trained on standardized North American and British norms, are we accidentally building "border guards" that erase regional dialects and World Englishes? We want to hear about the ethics, the pedagogy, and the lived reality of speaking English in an AI-saturated world.

What we're looking for:

• AI as a survival tool for displaced or marginalized populations.
• Algorithmic bias and the "correction" of non-standard Englishes.
• The "Native Speaker" trap in Large Language Model (LLM) training data.
• How the English classroom must evolve to address "Digital Emancipation."

Submission Requirements: Please email a 250-word abstract and a 100-word bio to bghcc@iup.edu by March 15, 2026.