Unpacking Spanish EFL Teachers' Perceptions About the Role of Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) Technologies in Their Pedagogical Decision‐Making: A Phenomenological Analysis

ABSTRACT Research on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in second/foreign language (L2) education has highlighted their contributions to several teaching and learning areas. However, there is insufficient scholarship regarding the impact of AI adoption on teachers' decision‐making processes in English as a foreign language (EFL) settings. To fill the gap, this phenomenological study explored Spanish EFL teachers' perceptions about the role of AI technologies in their pedagogical decision‐making. A sample of 28 teachers participated in semi‐structured interviews. The results of the thematic analysis revealed two spectrums of themes: one suggesting a positive impact of AI on teachers' decision‐making across different aspects, while the other suggesting a minimal impact due to teachers autonomy and agency. The study discusses the findings in relation to theoretical and empirical foundations and lists actionable implications for EFL teachers, teacher educators, and policymakers to encourage an AI‐informed L2 pedagogy and decision‐making. This study contributes to the field by providing novel phenomenological insights into EFL teachers' pedagogical decision‐making in AI‐mediated contexts and by integrating social constructivism and the Technology Acceptance Model to account for this process.