Abstract
This research experimentally examined the effectiveness of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in teaching linguistic and literary connections among Turkic peoples, grounded in ethnocultural codes. Sixty-seven second-year undergraduate students at the Faculty of Literature of a state university in Kazakhstan participated in a quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test control-group design. The experimental group received a five-session instructional program integrating AI tools such as ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Voyant Tools, and the control group processed the same content using traditional methods. Data collection involved a self-developed achievement test (KR-20 = 0.89) and a Likert-type attitude scale (Cronbach α = 0.86). The data were analyzed using ANCOVA, with pre-test scores as covariates. The findings revealed that AI-assisted instruction had a large, statistically significant effect on students' academic achievement (F (1, 64) = 23.510; p < 0.05; η² = 0.27). A significant difference was also found regarding the experimental group’s attitudes towards the course (F (1, 64) = 8.738; p < 0.05; η² = 0.12). This effect was evaluated as moderate-large. The results show that AI tools support the transmission of ethnocultural content in Turkology education at both cognitive and affective levels, and that integrating these technologies with pedagogical designs grounded in cultural sensitivity can significantly contribute to the literature and practice.