Cultural Influence on ChatGPT Effectiveness in Higher Education: A Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Comparison

Authors

  • Khalaf Alharbi

    Department of English Language & Literature, Collage of Languages & Humanities, Qassim University Buraydah, Buraydah 52361, Saudi Arabia
  • Lubna Khalil

    Department of English, Riphah International University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
  • Muhammad Islam

    Department of English Language Teaching & Linguistics, IER, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
  • Ahmad Mleiki

    Department of English Language & Literature, Collage of Languages & Humanities, Qassim University Buraydah, Buraydah 52361, Saudi Arabia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i10.10356
Received: 5 June 2025 | Revised: 21 July 2025 | Accepted: 29 July 2025 | Published Online: 25 September 2025

Abstract

Cultural considerations affect ChatGPT's efficacy in higher education, as shown in a study of Pakistani (N = 152) and Saudi (N = 138) students. The research examines how national context influences students' motivation, engagement, satisfaction, and attitudes toward AI tools, using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Hofstede's cultural dimensions as frameworks. A validated 22-item questionnaire measured the perceived educational value of ChatGPT, revealing significantly higher usage and effectiveness ratings among Pakistani students compared to Saudi students (M = 3.92 vs. 3.48, p < 0.01). Moderated regression analysis indicated that national context accounted for 44% of the variance in motivation (η² = 0.44), highlighting ChatGPT's role in compensating for resource shortages in some settings while enhancing resources in others. Crucially, the study demonstrates ChatGPT's significant impact on language learning outcomes, particularly in enhancing writing proficiency, text summarization skills, and idea generation capabilities (p  < 0.01). Pakistani students reported significantly greater engagement with ChatGPT for these language learning tasks, suggesting its potential as a powerful language learning tool in resource-limited settings. This study contributes to the growing body of research on AI in language instruction and underscores the importance of integrating culturally relevant methodologies into the use of AI in education. It offers recommendations for educators and policymakers, advocating adapted strategies that address specific educational and linguistic requirements. Overall, this research combines AI, education, and linguistics, emphasizing the cultural importance of AI tools and laying the groundwork for future studies in AI-assisted language learning worldwide.

Keywords:

AI in Higher Education; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Technology Acceptance Model (TAM); Learners' Perceived Effectiveness

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How to Cite

Alharbi, K., Khalil, L., Islam, M., & Mleiki, A. (2025). Cultural Influence on ChatGPT Effectiveness in Higher Education: A Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Comparison. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(10), 372–389. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i10.10356

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 10 (October 2025): In progress

Article Type

Article (This article belongs to the Topical Collection“Technology-Enhanced English Language Teaching and Learning: Innovations and Practices”)

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Copyright © 2025 Khalaf Alharbi, Lubna Khalil, Mohammad Islam, Ahmad Mleiki

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.