“It Becomes Very Intelligent”: ChatGPT as an Academic Reading Tool for Postgraduates

ABSTRACT Academic reading, a cornerstone of postgraduate education, often presents challenges, particularly for non‐native English speakers. These include complex texts, extensive vocabulary, and integrating diverse sources. This study investigates the potential of ChatGPT as an academic reading tool for postgraduate students, emphasizing its usability, benefits, and limitations. Guided by the SAMR model, the research reveals that ChatGPT supports a spectrum of academic tasks—from simplifying vocabulary and explaining concepts to summarizing and generating ideas—thereby facilitating a transformative reading experience. Using a mixed‐methods approach, data from 113 survey respondents and 10 interviews highlight diverse practices and concerns among postgraduates. While ChatGPT excels in clarifying concepts and tailoring reading experiences, issues such as inaccurate information, biased feedback, and dependency emerge. The study underscores the need for enhanced digital fluency and metacognitive strategies among learners to optimize AI tools effectively. Furthermore, it recontextualizes the SAMR model for independent learning, proposing a nonlinear task approach driven by learners' needs. Findings advocate integrating AI tools into academic curricula, offering insights into redesigning pedagogy for improved engagement and comprehension. This research provides critical implications for leveraging AI in academic contexts, emphasizing its evolving role in bridging reading challenges and fostering autonomous learning. An AI‐assisted pedagogical model is proposed to enhance the reading experiences of students in higher educational institutions.