Between Support and Substitution: EFL Supervisors’ Perceptions of Postgraduate Students’ Use of AI in Academic Research
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33193/JEAHS.53.2026.812الكلمات المفتاحية:
Artificial intelligence, Academic research, EFL supervisors’ perceptions, Postgraduate students, Saudi higher educationالملخص
The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in postgraduate research has raised questions about its effects on students’ academic work and their development as researchers. This qualitative study examined EFL supervisors’ perceptions of postgraduate students’ use of AI in academic research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven EFL supervisors from seven Saudi public universities, and the data were analysed manually using thematic analysis. Thematic saturation was reached after the ninth interview, and two additional interviews confirmed the stability of the thematic structure. Two themes were developed: AI and Academic Writing, and AI and Academic Research. The findings showed that supervisors viewed AI as useful for enhancing the visible quality of writing but questioned whether such improvement extended to writing development, argumentation, and student voice. They also perceived AI as an interactive source of research assistance but expressed concern when it replaced students’ methodological and disciplinary knowledge. Supervisors associated passive reliance with reduced opportunities for critical engagement, whereas active, evaluative use was viewed as potentially supportive of critical thinking. Overall, they distinguished between AI use that supports students’ intellectual work and use that replaces it. The study therefore highlights the need to guide postgraduate students towards critically engaged AI practices that preserve their responsibility for writing, argumentation, and research decisions.
المراجع
1. Al-Biladi, W. S. (2026). AI integration in English language teaching: Exploring EFL teachers’ perceptions and challenges in Saudi universities. UB Journal for Humanities, 5(1), Article 16. https://doi.org/10.65073/1658-9343.1146
2. Al Hosni, J. (2025). Preserving authorial voice in academic texts in the age of generative AI: A thematic literature review. Arab World English Journal, 16(3), 244–258. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol16no3.14
3. Alkam, R. S., Alsawalqa, R. O., & Alreesi, R. (2026). The moderating role of academic integrity in the relationship between artificial intelligence and critical thinking among graduate students in Jordan. Frontiers in Education, 11, Article 1776308. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2026.1776308
4. Almoharraq, T. M. H. (2024). The use of generative artificial intelligence in graduate studies research: A case study. Arab Journal for Sciences and Research Publishing, 10(4), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.26389/AJSRP.K120924
5. Al-Shahrani, R. M. (2025). The reality of using generative artificial intelligence applications in developing scientific research skills: A field study from the perspective of postgraduate students in the curricula and teaching methods departments at Saudi universities. Saudi Journal of Educational Sciences, 2(18), 71–89. https://doi.org/10.33948/sjes-ksu-2-18-4
6. Altamimi, D. H. F. (2025). AI integrating in EFL classrooms: A study on lecturers’ adaptation and student outcomes. Arab World English Journal, Special Issue on CALL, (11), 364–379. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/call11.22
7. Amirjalili, F., Neysani, M., & Nikbakht, A. (2024). Exploring the boundaries of authorship: A comparative analysis of AI-generated text and human academic writing in English literature. Frontiers in Education, 9, Article 1347421. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1347421
8. Arosio, L. (2025). Generative AI as a teaching tool for social research methodology: Addressing challenges in higher education. Societies, 15(6), Article 157. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15060157
9. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
10. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis? Qualitative Research in Psychology, 18(3), 328–352. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2020.1769238
11. Coetzer, Z., & van Aardt, P. (2024). Unsilencing the student voice: Detecting and addressing ChatGPT-generated texts presented as student-authored texts at a university writing centre. International Journal of Critical Diversity Studies, 6(2), 151–179. https://doi.org/10.13169/intecritdivestud.6.2.00151
12. Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2024). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (5th ed.). SAGE.
13. Dai, Y., Lai, S., Lim, C. P., & Liu, A. (2023). ChatGPT and its impact on research supervision: Insights from Australian postgraduate research students. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 39(4), 74–88. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.8843
14. Daniel, B. K. (2022). The role of research methodology in enhancing postgraduate students’ research experience. Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, 20(1), 34–48. https://doi.org/10.34190/ejbrm.20.1.2253
15. Deep, P. D., & Chen, Y. (2025). The role of AI in academic writing: Impacts on writing skills, critical thinking, and integrity in higher education. Societies, 15(9), Article 247. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15090247
16. Ekundayo, T., Khan, Z., & Nuzhat, S. (2024). Evaluating the influence of artificial intelligence on scholarly research: A study focused on academics. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 2024(1), Article 8713718. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/8713718
17. Fauziah, M., Edy, S., Amrullah, A. K., Nuraini, J., & Apriani, E. (2025). EFL lecturers’ and students’ academic writing experience and challenges in using AI writing tools: A qualitative study. Linguists: Journal of Linguistics and Language Teaching, 11(2), 409–420. https://doi.org/10.29300/ling.v11i2.9666
18. Flowerdew, J., & Habibie, P. (2021). Introducing English for research publication purposes. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429317798
19. Gall, M., Borg, W., & Gall, J. (1996). Educational research: An introduction (6th ed.). White Plains, NY: Longman Publishers.
20. Grohnert, T., Gromotka, L., Gast, I., Delnoij, L., & Beausaert, S. (2024). Effective master’s thesis supervision: A summative framework for research and practice. Educational Research Review, 42, Article 100589. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2023.100589
21. Guest, G., Namey, E., & Chen, M. (2020). A simple method to assess and report thematic saturation in qualitative research. PLOS ONE, 15(5), Article e0232076. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0232076
22. Hennink, M., & Kaiser, B. N. (2022). Sample sizes for saturation in qualitative research: A systematic review of empirical tests. Social Science & Medicine, 292, Article 114523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114523
23. Hong, T. T. M., Tung, N. T. T., & Thanh, N. T. P. (2025). Mapping artificial intelligence research in higher education toward sustainable development. Discover Sustainability, 6, Article 1240. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-02162-0
24. Jamshed, M., Almashy, A., Albedah, F., & Warda, W. U. (2024). Assessing the efficacy of artificial intelligence-enabled EFL learning and teaching in Saudi Arabia: Perceptions, perspectives, and prospects. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 15(6), 1931–1940. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1506.18
25. Kim, J., Yu, S., Detrick, R., & Li, N. (2025). Exploring students’ perspectives on generative AI-assisted academic writing. Education and Information Technologies, 30, 1265–1300. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12878-7
26. Kim, M. K., & Kim, N. J. (2022). AI-supported scaffolding for writing academic arguments. In C. Chinn, E. Tan, C. Chan, & Y. Kali (Eds.), Proceedings of the 16th International Conference of the Learning Sciences—ICLS 2022 (pp. 1129–1132). International Society of the Learning Sciences. https://doi.org/10.22318/icls2022.1129
27. Lazuwardiyyah, F., Setiawan, S., Widyastuti, & Mustofa, A. (2025). Revealing postgraduate students’ experiences of using artificial intelligence (AI) for academic purposes. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 13(1), 1264–1282. https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v13i1.5937
28. Lincoln, Y., & Guba, E. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry, Beverly Hills: Sage.
29. Melisa, R., Ashadi, A., Triastuti, A., Hidayati, S., Salido, A., Ero, P. E. L., Marlini, C., Zefrin, Z., & Fuad, Z. A. (2025). Critical thinking in the age of AI: A systematic review of AI’s effects on higher education. Educational Process: International Journal, 14, Article e2025031. https://doi.org/10.22521/edupij.2025.14.31
30. Mudawy, A. M. A. (2024). Investigating EFL faculty members’ perceptions of integrating artificial intelligence applications to improve the research writing process: A case study at Majmaah University. Arab World English Journal, Special Issue on ChatGPT, 169–183. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/ChatGPT.11
31. Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847
32. Octaberlina, L. R., Muslimin, A. I., Chamidah, D., Surur, M., & Mustikawan, A. (2024). Exploring the impact of AI threats on originality and critical thinking in academic writing. Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology, 8(6), 8805–8814. https://doi.org/10.55214/25768484.v8i6.3878
33. Oliinyk, I., Bulavina, O., Romanenko, T., Tatarnikova, A., & Smirnov, A. (2024). Artificial intelligence in developing doctoral students’ research competencies. Revista Eduweb, 18(3), 294–305. https://doi.org/10.46502/issn.1856-7576/2024.18.03.22
34. Parker, J. L., & Becker, K. P. (2026). Defining and assessing AI literacy for researchers across the research lifecycle. Frontiers in Education, 11, Article 1827603. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2026.1827603
35. Pisica, A. I., Edu, T., Zaharia, R. M., & Zaharia, R. (2023). Implementing artificial intelligence in higher education: Pros and cons from the perspectives of academics. Societies, 13(5), Article 118. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13050118
36. Raza, A., Shahroz, M., & Iram, A. (2024). Argumentation and AI: Bridging linguistic and technological perspectives in education. Contemporary Journal of Social Science Review, 2(4), 1679–1690.
37. Samman, W. M. K., & Al-Sharif, E. F. F. (2025). Challenges of using artificial intelligence (AI) applications in scientific research from the perspective of researchers at selected Saudi universities. Journal of Arts, Literature, Humanities and Social Sciences, (126), 136–153. https://doi.org/10.33193/JALHSS.126.2025.1560
38. Saudi Data & AI Authority. (n.d.). The year of artificial intelligence 2026. https://sdaia.gov.sa/en/MediaCenter/Pages/ai-year.aspx
39. Saudi Data & AI Authority. (2020). Realizing our best tomorrow: National strategy for data & AI. https://wp.oecd.ai/app/uploads/2021/12/Saudi_Arabia_National_Strategy_for_Data_and_AI_2020.pdf
40. Saudi Press Agency. (2026, May 5). Saudi Vision 2030 enhances the Kingdom’s position at the forefront of the global AI transformation. https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2578274
41. Shabir, A. (2025). Generative AI writing tools and academic writing in higher education: A systematic review of empirical and review studies. Information Technology Education Journal, 4(3), 543–557. https://doi.org/10.59562/intec.v4i3.10494
42. Tran, H. N., Le, T. T. N., & Tran, V. B. U. (2025). AI tools in learning academic writing: Benefits and challenges for MA students in the English Language Studies at the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City. International Journal of AI in Language Education, 2(1), 74–91. https://doi.org/10.54855/ijaile.25215
43. UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean. (2023). Harnessing the era of artificial intelligence in higher education: A primer for higher education stakeholders. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000386670
44. Verboom, A. D. P. R., Pais, L., Zijlstra, F. R. H., Oswald, F. L., & dos Santos, N. R. (2025). Perceptions of artificial intelligence in academic teaching and research: A qualitative study from AI experts’ and professors’ perspectives. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 22(1), Article 46. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-025-00546-w
45. Winarti, H., Kholid, M. R., & Zakiyah, Z. (2025). Exploring EFL students’ attitudes of artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for writing English thesis proposals in higher education. Cetta: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 8(2), 87–100. https://doi.org/10.37329/cetta.v8i2.4076
46. Ya’u, M. S., & Mohammed, M. S. (2025). AI-assisted writing and academic literacy: Investigating the dual impact of language models on writing proficiency and ethical concerns in Nigerian higher education. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 13(2), 593–604. https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijels.v.13n.2p.593
47. Zhang, C. (2025). AI in academia: How it enhances research efficiency and innovation. International Journal of Education and Humanities, 19(3), 155–158. https://doi.org/10.54097/r5h5pz92
التنزيلات
منشور
كيفية الاقتباس
إصدار
القسم
الرخصة
الحقوق الفكرية (c) 2026 Taghreed Ali Alzahrani، Dr. Hassan Saleem Alqurashi
هذا العمل مرخص بموجب Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
