An analysis of the artificial intelligence concerns of those learning turkish as a foreign language from the perspective of various variables

This study aims to identify the levels of anxiety towards artificial intelligence (AI) among individuals learning Turkish as a foreign language and to examine whether this anxiety shows significant differences according to variables such as gender, level of education, course level, and the use of AI in language learning. Employing a quantitative research design, the study adopted a survey model; data were collected online from 170 international students learning Turkish at A2, B1, B2, and C1 levels at various language teaching centres in Türkiye. The Artificial Intelligence Anxiety Scale was administered to participants; independent samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance were used in the analyses as parametric tests. According to the research results, participants' overall anxiety levels regarding AI were found to be high (X=4.30). In particular, concerns that AI could be misused, create mental dependency in individuals, and lead to uncontrollable outcomes form the basis of these high anxiety levels. Although male participants reported higher mean levels of AI anxiety (X = 4.40) than female participants (X = 4.19), this difference was not statistically significant (p=.264). However, significant differences emerged with respect to proficiency level and AI-use status. A2-level learners exhibited higher levels of anxiety, while individuals actively using AI tools demonstrated lower levels of anxiety. According to the results, it can be argued that the anxiety of individuals learning Turkish as a foreign language towards AI has a complex and multidimensional structure. The findings reveal that this anxiety is shaped not only by demographic factors such as technological competence or academic background, but also by individuals' relationship with technology, their level of experience, and their perceptual evaluations.