Clashing aIs: Artificial intelligence literacy and academic integrity in an EFL context

Abstract

Using a quantitative correlational approach, this study examined the connection between artificial intelligence (AI) literacy and attitudes towards plagiarism among English Language Teaching (ELT) students in a Turkish higher education context, where English as a foreign language (EFL) is taught. The participants (N = 82) scored high levels of AI literacy, especially in terms of usage, but knowledge of the ethical components, such as data privacy, responsible use, and authorship, was minimal. Their plagiarism attitudes were moderate and nuanced, marked by ethical awareness on one hand and tolerance for self-plagiarism acts on the other. The findings showed no significant relationship between AI literacy and plagiarism attitudes, suggesting that merely using AI does not lead to heightened ethical awareness. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed across gender, academic year, or frequency of AI use, indicating that these factors may be less influential than shared institutional experiences. Lastly, despite its small sample, the study contributes valuable insights into the foundational challenges of ethics integration in AI literacy, particularly for ELT students as future educators. The findings highlight the need for teacher education programs to embed the dimensions of ethical and critical use of AI tools into curricula to prepare students for responsible digital citizenship.