The rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in recent years has substantially transformed learners’ writing behaviors in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts, shifting the focus from traditional linear drafting to recursive, AI-mediated writing processes. This emerging workflow involves iterative text revision, idea composition, AI-assisted consultation, and critical acceptance or dismissal of algorithmic suggestions. While these evolving behaviors highlight AI’s role in enhancing lexical output and reducing cognitive load, the long-term impact on learners' metacognitive development remains a critical gap. In this study, I investigate how these AI-mediated writing behaviors influence learners’ meta-cognitive agency, specifically focusing on self-correction behaviors as an indicator of cognitive engagement and modification patterns.

To examine the effect of the AI-mediated writing process on students’ metacognitive revision of argumentative essay writing, I adopted a mixed-methods approach to explore learners' perceptions and their writing outcomes. The findings reveal the cognitive mechanisms underlying AI-assisted correction in this writing task, offering pedagogical insights into the evolution of human agency and automated feedback in the EFL classroom. The challenges and the implications of utilizing AI in EFL writing classrooms will be further discussed.