Abstract
In multilingual educational environments, such as those in Kazakhstan, integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into second-language teaching presents new pedagogical possibilities. This study investigates the impact of AI-powered writing tools on academic writing achievement, student engagement, and ethical awareness among second-year Information Technology (IT) students enrolled in a Russian as a second language course at the International Information Technology University (IITU). Based on Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), the study employed a mixed-methods design, incorporating pre- and post-tests, student surveys, and reflective journals. An instructional model was implemented that integrated AI tools into a scaffolded writing pedagogy. Results showed a 23% increase in essay length (fluency), a 31% reduction in language errors (accuracy), and an improvement in lexical diversity (TTR) from 0.52 to 0.64. Surveys and journals revealed that students perceived AI tools as helpful for enhancing writing clarity and revision, but also expressed concerns about their ethical use and potential over-reliance. Reflective journal analysis showed a significant increase in students'ethical awareness, with 70% demonstrating an understanding of authorship, transparency, and academic integrity by the end of the course. These results suggest that when thoughtfully integrated within a framework aligned with students'ZPD, AI tools can improve academic writing outcomes while supporting metacognitive and ethical development. The study offers practical implications for AI-enabled language learning in digitally-focused, multilingual university contexts.