HUMAN SUBJECTIVITY AS DEFENSE AGAINST AI PLAGIARISM IN ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES (ESP) WRITING

Abstract

As artificial intelligence (AI) tools become increasingly accessible, their integration into academic and professional communication has raised urgent concerns about plagiarism, particularly in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) writing. We address the growing challenge of AI-assisted plagiarism within ESP contexts and critique the current overreliance on AI detection tools, which often struggle to distinguish between human-written and AI-generated texts. Rather than focusing exclusively on technological gatekeeping, we propose a pedagogically grounded and forward-looking alternative: embedding human subjectivity into ESP writing tasks. Human subjectivity is expressed through personal experience, reflection, emotional nuance, and individual perspective, all of which add a level of authenticity that AI-generated content finds difficult to replicate. We argue that integrating subjectivity into ESP writing promotes deeper engagement with discipline-specific genres and makes AI plagiarism less viable. Drawing on theories of transformative learning, constructivism, and critical pedagogy, we outline strategies that teachers can adopt to design ESP writing assessments. These include reflective writing prompts, scenario-based perspective-taking, creative simulations, and experiential reports that connect with students’ professional and academic goals. We recognize the potential challenges in implementation, particularly around standardization and assessment, yet we believe the benefits of nurturing authentic student voices outweigh these concerns. We emphasize that as AI tools continue to evolve, the human elements of writing (i.e., our thoughts, feelings, and voices) will remain central. It is this human presence that both deters misuse and fosters meaningful learning.