Experiences of University Students With Artificial Intelligence Writing Tools
Abstract
The study investigated experiences of undergraduate English Language students at the University of Eswatini regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) writing tools. The study objectives were two-fold: to determine the prevalent AI writing tools used by undergraduate English Language students; and to find out how students used AI writing tools in academic writing. The study employed concurrent mixed-methods research design A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative data from structured questionnaires with qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews involving 32 participants. Simple random sampling technique was employed. Data analysis included descriptive statistics for quantitative data and thematic analysis for the qualitative data, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of students’ experiences. Findings revealed a high frequency (67%) of AI writing tools usage for purposes such as proofreading, grammar check; paraphrasing and enhancing readability; and for idea generation. The findings also revealed that most of the students (75%) never disclosed their use of AI writing tools in their academic assignments because of fear that AI use may be viewed as academic dishonesty. Recommendations for future research included exploring the long-term impacts of AI writing tools on academic performance and expanding the scope to include other disciplines.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Bheka Sifundza, Dr. Joseph Osodo
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