Rewrite Factors influencing the acceptance and use of ChatGPT among English as a foreign language learners in Saudi Arabia as a headline for a science magazine post, using no more than 8 words

This study aimed to examine the factors that influence the use of AI chatbots (ChatGPT) among Saudi EFL learners. A TAM questionnaire was administered to 184 Saudi EFL learners (31 males, 153 females). The data analysis indicated that perceived ease of use and usefulness significantly influenced ChatGPT adoption. However, no significant relationship was found between PEU and attitudes, revealing that Saudi EFL learners’ attitudes were more influenced by the tool’s benefits and value for language learning. In addition, there was a significant positive relationship between perceived ease of use and attitude, suggesting that when learners perceived ChatGPT as useful, they had favourable attitudes toward it. The findings highlight the importance of leveraging AI tools to enhance EFL teaching and learning in Saudi Arabia, as these tools can provide personalized learning experiences and foster student autonomy. However, successful integration requires raising awareness among both educators and students about the benefits, limitations, and ethical use of these technologies.

Despite the significance of these findings in directing the successful integration of ChatGPT and other AI tools in EFL teaching and learning environments, several limitations should be addressed in future studies. First, the relatively small sample size, due to stringent criteria applied for respondent selection may limit the generalizability of the findings. Although 362 EFL learners initially responded to the questionnaire, 154 had not started using ChatGPT for language learning. This indicates the strong need for awareness-raising campaigns to promote the use of AI tools in EFL learning.

Additionally, most respondents were female, which may have influenced the observed gender differences in attitudes towards the use of ChatGPT. Future research should consider a more balanced gender representation to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the role of gender in AI tool acceptance among EFL learners. Furthermore, qualitative methods, such as interviews or focus groups, could provide deeper insights into the factors influencing these attitudes among different genders, thus enriching the discussion around gender disparities in technology adoption

Another limitation is the cross-sectional design applied in this study, which captures a snapshot of the participants’ perceptions at a single point in time. A longitudinal approach could be implemented in future research to observe how learners’ acceptance and usage of ChatGPT evolved over an extended period.

Future research could also examine the impact of other variables such as language proficiency level, self-efficacy, and institutional support on the relationships between TAM constructs. Investigating these additional factors could offer a more comprehensive understanding of the intricate interplay among the variables influencing EFL learners’ adoption of AI tools in their language learning.

Finally, this study investigated the use of ChatGPT only; further studies could include other AI-powered tools such as virtual assistants, intelligent tutoring systems, and machine translation applications to provide a deeper understanding of EFL learners’ perceptions and preferences.