This entry provides a concise overview of the research conducted on chatbots in language teaching and learning. It aims to introduce chatbots as a distinct field within computer-assisted language learning (CALL). In line with the increasing presence of ChatGPT and other generative AI platforms in society, the roles and functions of chatbots in CALL have been researched extensively. However, much of this research often focuses solely on chatbots’ functions as conversational software, lacking deep reflection and theorization on the magnitude of possibilities they introduce to language education. In response to this need for a theoretical foundation on which to ground research on chatbot technology, we reviewed previous studies on chatbots to highlight three considerations that have been taken into account so far by chatbot researchers in language education: (1) the unique characteristics of chatbots that distinguish them from human interlocutors as well as the variations among chatbots; (2) research frameworks incorporating cognitive, sociocultural, and critical approaches; and (3) areas in language education that intersect with chatbot technology. By offering a structured overview of the chatbot research conducted so far, which can also serve as foundational elements for future research, this entry contributes to the construction of rigorous and theoretically grounded research on chatbot technology as an emerging and transformative field.