Language Performativity In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence: Between Speech Acts And The Algorithmization Of Discourse

Abstract

In the age of artificial intelligence, language is no longer exclusively a human tool for communication, but a computational instrument capable of acting upon reality. This article explores the transformation of linguistic performativity when language is generated by algorithmic systems. Drawing on foundational theories by J.L. Austin and John Searle, the discussion examines how AI-generated utterances—despite lacking human intentionality—can produce tangible cognitive, emotional, and social effects. Through concrete examples such as automated educational tools or legal misuses of AI, the article reveals how these forms of machine discourse shape norms, redefine authority, and contribute to the formation of subjectivity. The analysis leads to a pedagogical rethinking: the necessity of developing a critical literacy of algorithmic language. In a world where speech is increasingly distributed between humans and machines, education must empower learners to interpret, challenge, and navigate the discourse of intelligent systems with awareness and agency.