Trustworthiness of AI in academic writing: Perspectives from Indonesian EFL students

Authors

Keywords:

Trustworthiness of AI, AI ethics, academic writing, EFL, European Commission’s Ethics Guidelines

Abstract

Guided by the European Commission’s (2019) Ethics Guidelines, this study explores Indonesian university students’ perspectives on the trustworthiness of AI tools in supporting their English academic writing. While the use of AI in language education is expanding, issues of trust and ethical awareness remain underexplored, leaving students insufficiently equipped to critically evaluate AI-generated outputs. Adopting a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the study surveyed 189 EFL students from five Indonesian universities and conducted follow-up interviews with fifteen students who had completed an academic writing course. Surveys indicate moderate to high trust in AI’s technical robustness, but comparatively lower trust in lawfulness, reflecting concerns over data privacy and copyright. Interview results further reveal that students actively verify AI outputs to ensure ethical compliance. These insights call for the need to integrate AI ethics into the language education curriculum, fostering critical evaluation skills and promoting responsible AI use in academic writing.

Author Biographies

  • Nikolas Datu Entriawan, Sebelas Maret University, Indonesia

    Nikolas Datu Entriawan is a Master’s student in English Education at Universitas Sebelas Maret, Indonesia. His research centers on English as a Foreign Language (EFL), AI ethics in education, and informal digital learning of English (IDLE)

    E-mail: nikolasdatu@gmail.com

  • Nur Arifah Drajati, Sebelas Maret University, Indonesia

    Nur Arifah Drajati is an associate professor in the English Language Education Department of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS). She holds a Bachelor's degree in English Education from UNS, as well as an MA (2008) and a PhD (2013). She has over 25 years of teaching experience in high schools and UNS. Her research interests lie in technology in language learning, technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK), and multimodal and informal digital learning of English.

    E-mail: nurarifah_drajati@staff.uns.ac.id

  • Sumardi Sumardi, Sebelas Maret University, Indonesia

    Sumardi Sumardi has been an EFL lecturer at Sebelas Maret University since 1998. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in English Education from Jember University in 1997, a Master’s degree in Translation Studies from Sebelas Maret University in 2005, and a PhD in Educational Research and Evaluation from Yogyakarta State University in 2011. His research interests include language assessment, EFL methodology, and teacher development.

    E-mail: sumardi74@staff.uns.ac.id

  • Hyo-Jeong So, Ewha Womans University, South Korea

    Hyo-Jeong So is a Professor of Educational Technology at Ewha Womans University in Korea. She holds a PhD in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University. Her research areas include mobile learning, computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), informal learning, and the integration of emerging technologies to facilitate collaborative knowledge building.

    E-mail: hyojeongso@ewha.ac.kr

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Published

2026-02-16

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2026): The Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics

Section

Articles

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How to Cite

Trustworthiness of AI in academic writing: Perspectives from Indonesian EFL students. (2026). The Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 10(1), 1280. https://caes.hku.hk/ajal/index.php/ajal/article/view/1280

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