The Impact of AI Tool Familiarity on the Reading Performance of Saudi EFL Learners
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1608.20Keywords:
AI-driven tool, artificial intelligence, reading skills, Saudi EFL learner, technology integrationAbstract
This study explored the impact of English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ familiarity with AI-driven tools on their EFL reading performance. Participants consisted of 30 EFL learners with different levels of AI familiarity, depending on whether they had used such tools a lot, sometimes, or never. They were given an authentic reading test demanding interactive, higher-order cognitive skills. The results were interpreted through SPSS, one-way ANOVA, and post hoc Tukey’s HSD. Based on the results of multiple means comparisons (significant at p < .001), the study rejected the null hypothesis that AI familiarity would have no positive influence on reading skills. The group that was the most familiar with these tools showed significantly higher improvement compared to the other two groups. In contrast, there was no significant difference between the groups with less AI familiarity (p = .067). According to the findings, greater familiarity with AI tools could help EFL learners improve their reading performance, signaling a need for more professional training on AI integration in language education.
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