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Description
Generative AI technology is increasingly becoming an indispensable part of the writing process for EFL students. However, what poses a much more severe threat than plagiarism is when AI-generated text sounds accurate, fluent, and even scholarly; the concept, evidence, or reasoning behind the generated text lacks substance. The current study explores the impact of perceived AI accuracy, cognitive offloading, AI trust, and feedback dependence on the EFL academic writers’ ability to critically evaluate their work. Consistent with the VietCALL 2026 strategy, which highlights the importance of AI literacy, AI ethics, agency, and assessment; this paper suggests that the role of Generative AI in writing should go beyond efficiency gains and linguistic improvement. The study will consider real-world cases where students accept thesis statements suggested by AI as more sophisticated, take advice from AI feedback without verifying its logic, or allow AI to determine if the argument is persuasive enough. Though such behavior might seem quite productive; it could potentially lead to diminishing the autonomy of learners and their academic critical thinking. This research should bring a more detailed perspective about the need for a broader interpretation of AI literacy in EFL writing, since responsible AI usage implies not just competence in using it. Students need to be able to critically resist its conclusions, verify information, and be ready to contradict it.
Keywords: AI literacy; Cognitive offloading; Critical writing judgment; EFL writing; Feedback dependency.
