The benefits and risks of AI-assisted academic writing : insights from current research

Neshkovska, Silvana (author)

This paper explores the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, specifically ChatGPT, in the acquisition of English as a foreign language. With the rapid evolution of educational technology, AI-driven chatbots like ChatGPT offer innovative methodologies to augment language teaching and learning. This study examines the potential of ChatGPT to improve English language students’ writing abilities by providing suggestions, corrections and automated assistance. Through a review of existing literature and a discussion of the findings of recent studies, the paper seeks to highlight the benefits and risks of integrating AI tools into language education, especially, in the context of writing. Insights gained from multiple studies suggest that while ChatGPT has the potential to significantly enhance language students’ writing skills in all phases of writing, by promoting engagement, motivation, and autonomy among learners, it also necessitates cautious use to ensure academic integrity and to prevent over-reliance, which in turn, can stifle students’ learning capacities.

• Language: English
• Keywords: writing, EFL, AI, ChatGPT, benefits, risks
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 55-68
• Numbering: Vol. 22, no. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-180488
• UDC: [811.111’243:378]:004.89
• ISSN on article: 1581-8918
• DOI: 10.4312/elope.22.1.55-68
• COBISS.SI-ID: 271132419
• Publication date in RUL: 10.03.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: ELOPE : English language overseas perspectives and enquiries
• Shortened title: ELOPE
• Publisher: Slovensko društvo za angleške študije, Slovensko društvo za angleške študije, Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete Univerze v Ljubljani, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 1581-8918
• COBISS.SI-ID: 212890112

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Prednosti in tveganja pri znanstvenem pisanju s pomočjo umetne inteligence : spoznanja iz aktualnih raziskav

Abstract

Prispevek raziskuje, kako so orodja umetne inteligence (UI), zlasti ChatGPT, preoblikovala učenje angleščine kot tujega jezika. S hitrim razvojem izobraževalne tehnologije pogovorni sistemi, kot je ChatGPT, ponujajo inovativne pristope za nadgradnjo poučevanja in učenja jezikov. Študija preučuje potencial orodja ChatGPT za izboljšanje pisnih spretnosti študentov in študentk angleščine s pomočjo predlogov, popravkov in samodejne pomoči. Na podlagi pregleda obstoječe literature in analize ugotovitev nedavnih raziskav prispevek osvetljuje prednosti in tveganja pri vključevanju orodij umetne inteligence v učenje jezikov, še posebej na področju pisanja. Ugotovitve številnih študij kažejo, da lahko ChatGPT bistveno izboljša pisne zmožnosti študentov in študentk v vseh fazah procesa pisanja, saj spodbuja njihovo vključenost, motivacijo in samostojnost. Kljub temu pa njegova uporaba zahteva premišljeno rabo, saj je treba zagotoviti spoštovanje akademske integritete in preprečiti pretirano zanašanje na tehnologijo, kar bi lahko zavrlo razvoj učnih sposobnosti.

• Keywords: pisanje, angleščina kot tuji jezik, umetna inteligenca, ChatGPT, prednosti, tveganja