ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN MEDICAL ENGLISH AND ESP INSTRUCTION: A NARRATIVE REVIEW OF ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS

Abstract

The growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education has created new possibilities for teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP), including Medical English. AI tools can support academic writing, provide language feedback, create opportunities for communication practice, and offer more individualized learning. At the same time, their use raises concerns about inaccurate information, student overreliance, limited human interaction, and the role of teachers in the learning process. This paper presents a narrative review of recent research on AI-supported Medical English and ESP instruction. It examines research involving medical and health students and considers relevant studies from Uzbekistan and Russia. The review focuses on the main advantages and limitations reported in the literature and compares findings across different applications of AI. The reviewed studies suggest that AI can be useful for academic writing, language practice, and simulated professional communication. However, the benefits are not equal across all language skills, and the technology cannot independently provide the human and professional dimensions required in medical communication. The paper concludes that AI is most effective when it is used for clearly defined learning purposes and under teacher guidance.