The role of Character AI in shaping EFL learners’ writing abilities and perceptions: Extroversion/introversion as a moderator

Abstract Given recent debates on the burgeoning applications of Artificial intelligence (AI) in L2 context, this study aimed to explore how Character AI differentially affects the writing abilities and perceptions of Iranian extroverted and introverted English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Sixty learners from a private institute in northern Iran selected through Oxford Quick Placement Test (OOPT) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire participated in this research. They were randomly assigned to three study groups namely extroverted group (EG, N=20), introverted group (IG, N=20), and control group (N=20). The EG and IG received writing instruction through Character AI and the control group received traditional instruction of writing without AI. A semi-structured interview was conducted to extract the perceptions of the focus groups. A comparison of the pre- and post-test scores showed that both experimental groups experienced substantial improvement, with only negligible differences between them. The follow-up interview identified several positive aspects of Character AI-powered writing instruction, including its ability to promote interactiveness and engagement, create personalized content, improve writing quality, enhance creativity and motivation, and offer instant feedback. Additionally, the app’s negative features included lack of human interaction (lack of emotional depth), content filtering, and restricted access to the app.