<![CDATA[Speaking anxiety remains a significant barrier in EFL learning, even among master’s students, while empirical evidence on the role of artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT in addressing this issue remains limited. This study aimed to identify EFL students’ speaking anxiety levels and explore their perceptions of ChatGPT as a tool for reducing anxiety in speaking English. An explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. Data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with 17 master’s students in an English Language Education program at a public university in Yogyakarta, purposively selected based on prior experience using ChatGPT for speaking practice. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that most participants experienced moderate to high levels of speaking anxiety. ChatGPT was perceived as a supportive speaking partner that enables flexible practice, enhances confidence, stimulates diverse speaking activities, and provides constructive feedback, contributing to a low-anxiety learning environment. These findings suggest that ChatGPT can serve as a supplementary tool to support speaking practice and reduce anxiety in EFL contexts. However, the small sample size limits generalizability; therefore, future research should involve larger samples and examine long-term effects through experimental or longitudinal designs.]]>
