CHI 2026 Poster, demo & extended abstract Extended Abstract

Exploring User Expectations for AI-Mediated Second Language Communication: A Formative Participatory Design Study

Cecilia Delgado Solorzano, Pratyush Singh, Carlos Toxtli-Hernández

Proceedings of the Extended Abstracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2026 · pp. 1-4

DOI

Abstract

This formative study explores how second-language (L2) speakers envision personal AI assistants (PAIAs) supporting face-to-face communication with native speakers. Through participatory sessions with 14 bilingual adults combining scenario generation, role-play, and diagramming, we surfaced preliminary tensions in AI-mediated L2 interaction: managing conversational flow, balancing transparency with naturalness, and navigating context-dependent privacy. Our exploratory findings suggest three candidate mediation patterns (solo, symmetric, and relayed assistance), each with distinct trade-offs that warrant further investigation. We contribute initial design considerations including reply-when-free defaults and role-based privacy profiles, alongside a replicable protocol for eliciting AI behavior expectations. These preliminary insights establish a foundation for future empirical work on PAIAs in multilingual communication contexts.

Cite this work

Cecilia Delgado Solorzano, Pratyush Singh, and Carlos Toxtli-Hernández. 2026. Exploring User Expectations for AI-Mediated Second Language Communication: A Formative Participatory Design Study. Proceedings of the Extended Abstracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. https://doi.org/10.1145/3772363.3799390

@inproceedings{Delgado_Solorzano_2026,
  series = {CHI EA ’26},
  title = {Exploring User Expectations for AI-Mediated Second Language Communication: A Formative Participatory Design Study},
  url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3772363.3799390},
  doi = {10.1145/3772363.3799390},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of the Extended Abstracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems},
  publisher = {ACM},
  author = {Delgado Solorzano, Cecilia and Singh, Pratyush and Toxtli, Carlos},
  year = {2026},
  month = Apr,
  pages = {1--4},
  collection = {CHI EA ’26}
}

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