Efl undergraduate students' use of generative AI chatbots to facilitate reading comprehension

In the past several years, there has been a growing interest and awareness towards the use of generative AI (GenAI) chatbots among EFL students and those in higher education. Through its versatile and conversation-based services, GenAI chatbots enable students to study in their preferred ways, one of which is while reading. Although the use of GenAI chatbots for reading has been researched before, previous studies have not delved into detail about its practical application. Therefore, this qualitative case study aims to investigate the GenAI chatbots EFL undergraduate students use and their implementation of reading comprehension strategies through said GenAI chatbots. The data was collected through an open-ended survey and semi-structured interview, involving 34 undergraduate students across four batches from the English Language Education Department (ELED) of UINSA. The findings of this research revealed that there are four GenAI chatbots that students preferred using: ChatGPT for easier reading, Gemini due to its flexibility, Perplexity AI and MetaAI for their practicality. In relation to students’ implementation of the reading strategies, it has resulted in the alteration of how some strategies were usually carried out. Depending on which strategy, the extent of the GenAI chatbot’s assistance was either just to support or as the one that mainly enacts the strategy. Additionally, students’ response to the assistance includes: cross-checking and saving the AI-generated information and engaging further in a discussion with the GenAI chatbot.