POTENTIALS WITHIN ChatGPT TO ENHANCE ESP WRITING SKILLS (AUTONOMOUS LANGUAGE LEARNING): THE CASE OF EFL SAUDI LEARNERS

Abstract The term "artificial intelligence" (AI) has lost much of its mystique. In November 2022, ChatGPT, a language open-source AI platform, became incredibly popular in the field of education. AI technology has become a turning point in advancing language education for teachers, learners, and language experts. However, the integration of AI and automation in second language acquisition and curriculum design has not yet received much attention in Saudi Arabia's educational institutions. Finding out what might be the advantages and disadvantages of AI in higher education in Saudi Arabia, particularly in English language skills acquisition and curriculum design. The study focuses on using intelligent digital technologies like Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) and its large language models (LLMs) that have produced revolutionary products such as ChatGPT and other chatbots. These technologies have significant implications for language students, teachers, and educational institutions. The study explores using ChatGPT as a natural language open-source AI platform to develop curriculum design and assessment strategies for Saudi universities. The aim is to make them more challenging for generative AI while educating students.