The The Impact of Character AI Application on Students' Speaking Skills

Abstract

English language learning encompasses four essential skills that students are expected to acquire, with speaking standing out as one of the most crucial for effective communication. Speaking itself is a multifaceted process that requires individuals to convey meaning and exchange information through verbal expression. Despite its importance, many students continue to struggle with speaking skills for various reasons, including low self-confidence, limited fluency, and insufficient opportunities to practice spoken English. A preliminary observation at SMK 2 Mei Bandar Lampung revealed that 60 twelfth-grade students demonstrated below-average speaking performance. This study aims to examine whether the Character AI Application has a significant impact  on students' speaking skills.This study employed a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design. The population consisted of 221 twelfth-grade students at SMK 2 Mei Bandar Lampung in the academic year 2024/2025. A total of 60 students were selected as the sample, divided into two groups: 30 students from XII TBSM 2 (YAMAHA) as the experimental class and 30 students from XII TKR 3 (INDUSTRI) as the control class. Data were collected through oral pre-tests and post-tests administered to both classes, with the experimental class receiving treatment using the Character AI Application while the control class did not. The data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics 20. The independent sample t-test indicated a significance value of 0.000 < 0.05, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis (H₀) and the acceptance of the alternative hypothesis (Hₐ). These results confirm that the Character AI Application significantly impact students' speaking skills.