A vibrant discussion on the future of English Language and Literature education in the age of artificial intelligence took place at the symposium titled "English Language and Literature for Employability in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: Desire & Fear," organized by the M.A. Program of the Department of English at the American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB). The symposium was held on July 29, 2026, at the AIUB Media Studio. The event brought together academicians, scholars, students, and university leaders to explore the evolving employment landscape for English graduates in an AI-driven world.

The symposium featured presentations by Miftahul Jannat, an M.A. student in Literature, and Mashfia Afrin, an undergraduate student from the Language stream. Miftahul emphasized that while AI and technical expertise are increasingly important, literature continues to cultivate empathy, ethical judgment, creativity, and critical thinking—qualities that remain essential in both society and the workplace. Mashfia highlighted emerging opportunities for English graduates in AI-powered education and communication, stressing the importance of combining AI literacy—including prompt engineering, digital pedagogy, data literacy, and ethics—with uniquely human skills such as creativity, leadership, communication, cultural competence, and critical thinking.

The presentations were followed by insightful discussions from distinguished scholars Dr. Tazin Aziz Chaudhury, Chairman and Professor of the Department of English at the University of Dhaka, and Dr. Mohammad Raihan Sharif, Chairman and Professor of the Department of English and Director of The Language Centre at Jahangirnagar University. Both speakers emphasized that AI should serve as a tool to enhance education rather than replace human intellect, advocating curriculum redesign, innovative assessment methods, and the continued importance of creativity, empathy, and analytical thinking.

Prof. Dr. Saiful Islam, Vice-Chancellor of AIUB, attended as Chief Guest, while Prof. Dr. Md. Abdur Rahman, Pro Vice-Chancellor, AIUB, Prof. Dr. Tazul Islam, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, AIUB, and Dr. Faria Sultana, Associate Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, AIUB  graced the event as the Special Guests. Alongside senior university leaders, faculty members, and students were participated.

The session was chaired by Dr. Prodhan Mahbub Ibna Seraj, Head and Associate Professor of the Department of English at AIUB, while Munia Zaman, an M.A. student, moderated the proceedings. The symposium concluded by encouraging meaningful dialogue on balancing technological innovation with humanistic education to strengthen graduate employability in the era of artificial intelligence.