Negotiating Culture and Agency: Toraja Students’ Engagement with AI in English Language Learning

Abstract

The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in English language learning has generated growing interest in its pedagogical benefits and sociocultural implications. However, limited attention has been given to how students from local cultural communities interpret and negotiate AI use within their cultural contexts. This study explores how Toraja students engage with AI in English language learning and how such engagement relates to cultural identity and student agency.A qualitative case study design was employed involving nine Toraja undergraduate students with prior experience using AI tools in English learning. Data were collected over eight weeks through student assignment artifacts, semi-structured interviews, learning diaries, and focus group discussions. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns of practice, meaning-making, and cultural negotiation.The findings reveal four major themes. First, AI functioned as a learning partner that supported linguistic development, idea generation, writing organization, revision, and learner confidence. Second, students used AI as a source of global knowledge while recognizing its limited and often superficial representation of Toraja culture. Third, learners actively modified and enriched AI-generated content by adding local knowledge, correcting inaccuracies, and preserving cultural authenticity. Fourth, students expressed ambivalence toward AI, appreciating its efficiency while remaining concerned about dependency, cultural bias, and ethical use.The study shows that AI-mediated language learning is not culturally neutral but shaped by learners’ identities, values, and local knowledge. It highlights the importance of integrating critical AI literacy and culturally responsive pedagogy in English language teaching.