Front. Psychol.
Sec. Educational Psychology
Background Artificial intelligence-generated feedback (AI-GF) is increasingly used in computer-assisted English as a Foreign Language formative assessment, yet learner engagement with such feedback varies considerably. Previous research has focused largely on technical effectiveness, providing limited insight into how trust, ethical concerns, and learner engagement shape educational value. This gap restricts informed and responsible integration of artificial intelligence feedback in higher-education language learning. Objectives This study investigates how trust, ethical concerns, clarity, and learner engagement influence the perceived usefulness and future readiness associated with AI-GF in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning. Methods Drawing on technology acceptance and feedback literacy frameworks, a learner centered conceptual model was developed. Survey data were collected from 255 university-level EFL learners enrolled in higher education institutions. The data was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to examine relationships among trust, ethics, engagement, clarity, perceived usefulness, and future readiness. Learners’ prior experience with artificial intelligence (AI) and academic maturity were included to capture variation in engagement patterns. Results and Conclusions The findings indicate that trust is the strongest predictor of learner engagement with AI-GF, while ethical concerns significantly undermine trust. Engagement operates as the principal mechanism linking AI-GF to perceived usefulness and readiness for future learning, whereas clarity alone is necessary but insufficient to support meaningful learning outcomes. These results extend existing models by positioning engagement as a central outcome and integrating trust and ethics as foundational determinants. Pedagogically, the study highlights the importance of ethical transparency, trust-building practices, and structured learner guidance in maximizing the educational impact of AI-GF in computer-assisted language learning contexts.
Keywords
AI-generated feedback, EFL, engagement, Ethics, Perceived usefulness, Trust
Received
12 February 2026
Accepted
11 March 2026
Copyright
© 2026 BinJwair and Alsaleh. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Amani A BinJwair
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