TINGTING ZHANG , HAILONG ZHANG , LU CUI , XUAN ZHAO
DOI: https://doi.org/Writing confidence constitutes a critical affective factor influencing English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ writing behavior and performance. With the rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT into educational settings, new questions emerge regarding their role in shaping learners’ psychological engagement with writing. While existing research has predominantly emphasized the linguistic outcomes of AI-assisted writing, limited attention has been paid to its impact on students’ self-efficacy and confidence. This perspective article explores how generative AI may serve as a confidence-building mechanism for university-level EFL learners by providing immediate feedback, reducing writing anxiety, offering linguistic scaffolding, and encouraging self-expression. Drawing on current literature, classroom practices, and theoretical models of writing self-efficacy, the paper also highlights potential risks—including overdependence, erosion of originality, and digital inequality—that complicate the pedagogical use of AI. The article concludes with a call for critical and ethically-informed integration of generative AI in writing instruction, emphasizing its dual function as both a linguistic and affective resource.
