Building upon the critical juncture identified in our introduction, where educators must navigate both the potential and challenges of AI integration, this chapter establishes the foundational theoretical landscape. Before we can explore practical applications of ChatGPT in language education, we must first understand the pedagogical principles that make this integration both possible and purposeful. We begin by examining the evolution and core tenets of project-based learning (PBL) in language contexts, then introduce ChatGPT’s capabilities, ultimately laying the theoretical groundwork for their intersection, a synthesis that will inform the applied strategies developed throughout this book.