Beyond Positive Perceptions: AI-Assisted Writing, Rhetorical Performance, and AI Literacy in Professional Communication

Abstract Book of the 11th International Conference on New Approaches in Education

Year: 2026

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Beyond Positive Perceptions: AI-Assisted Writing, Rhetorical Performance, and AI Literacy in Professional Communication

Dr. Georgia Kostoulias, Dr. Maria Vouyouka

ABSTRACT:

Beyond Positive Perceptions: AI-Assisted Writing, Rhetorical Performance, and AI Literacy in Professional Communication
Georgia Kostoulias and Maria Vouyouka-Sereti
Deree – The American College of Greece
ABSTRACT
As generative AI becomes increasingly embedded in higher education writing practices, this study explores whether AI-assisted writing enhances professional writing effectiveness by examining both students’ perceptions and actual writing performance. This repeated cross-sectional mixed-methods study examines guided student AI use in professional writing assessments across four semesters (Spring 2025–Spring 2026) in Professional Communication classes at Deree–The American College of Greece. Drawing on Stuart Hall’s reception theory and Kulikowski’s PICOC framework, the study analyzes 282 student reflections containing AI interaction records, alongside 61 student comparative assessments of AI and non-AI-assisted writing, in spring 2026. Findings reveal a significant disconnect between students’ positive perceptions of AI and measurable writing outcomes. Although students consistently reported that AI improved their submitted output, comparative analyses showed uneven improvement in rhetorical performance and critical writing competencies. Students with a stronger conceptual understanding of professional communication principles and who engaged critically with AI-generated suggestions achieved stronger writing outcomes. In contrast, students who adopted AI outputs passively or lacked sufficient rhetorical understanding were less able to evaluate, revise, or selectively reject AI-generated content. The study argues that effective AI integration in professional communication instruction depends on students’ AI literacy and rhetorical awareness, resulting in critical and effective engagement with AI outputs. The findings suggest that AI is most effective as a support tool when students possess sufficient rhetorical understanding and engage critically with AI-generated content, highlighting the importance of integrating AI literacy and critical evaluation practices into professional communication instruction and assessment.

Keywords: Keywords: AI literacy; generative AI; higher education; professional communication; writing pedagogy