Human – AI Collaboration in Undergraduate Thesis Writing: Exploring Students’ Academic Writing Practices

Abstract

The advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significantly reshaped academic writing practices in higher education, particularly in undergraduate thesis writing. This study investigates how students engage in human – AI collaboration and how such interaction influences their academic writing practices. Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected from 12 undergraduate students through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. The findings identify four major themes which include patterns of AI usage, types of human – AI  collaboration, perceived benefits, and challenges. Students utilized AI tools across multiple writing stages including idea generation, drafting, and revision. Three user profiles emerged passive users, active collaborators, and strategic users indicating varying levels of engagement and dependency. While AI enhances writing efficiency, linguistic accuracy, and learner confidence, it also raises concerns related to over-reliance, academic integrity, and content reliability. Grounded in TPACK, sociocultural theory, and AI literacy, this study highlights the need for pedagogical frameworks that promote critical and ethical AI use. The findings contribute to the developing discourse on AI-assisted academic writing and offer implications for integrating AI responsibly in higher education.