Investigating EFL Learners’ Perceptions of Using AI to Enhance English Vocabulary Acquisition Based on The Technology Acceptance Model

The technological advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has been shown to confer significant benefits in both technical and educational realms. Accordingly, the study aims to investigate learners’ perspectives on AI tools and attempts to assess which aspects of these tools are useful in improving vocabulary acquisition in a Saudi context. A structured questionnaire was designed based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) by using a quantitative method, and distributed to 112 undergraduate students from different colleges in Saudi Arabia, the majority of whom are Generation Z. The findings revealed that EFL learners generally hold a favorable view of AI tools for vocabulary acquisition, and gender differences were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.00) where female respondents report greater scores in terms of ease of use, usefulness, positive attitudes, and their intentions toward adoption. In addition, a person’s intention to adopt technology is primarily influenced by their assessment of its positive attitudes, followed by its simplicity and benefits of use. This study provides a deeper understanding about implementing AI tools to enhance EFL learners’ English vocabulary acquisition. The results can also nudge teachers and policymakers to further enhance their instructional strategies in ways that foster a more engaging and supportive environment for vocabulary growth.