Does AI empower or exhaust? Indonesian students' acceptance of AI in scientific writing shaped by cultural norms

Purpose This study examines Indonesian EFL students' acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in scientific writing through the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), with a focus on how cultural norms shape their perceptions and use of AI. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight undergraduate students engaged in thesis writing and analyzed thematically to capture their lived experiences with AI. Findings Students perceive AI as useful and easy to use for improving writing efficiency, clarity and revision. However, acceptance is conditional and shaped by sociocultural factors, including respect for lecturer authority, academic integrity and moral responsibility. These factors create ongoing tension between the benefits of AI and the need to maintain ethical and academic standards. Originality/value This study extends TAM by demonstrating that AI acceptance in scientific writing is not purely technological but socioculturally mediated, where students negotiate technological affordances with ethical expectations and academic norms in the Indonesian context.