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Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is growing rapidly and significantly impacting many fields, notably higher education. This study explores students' perceptions of AI tools in academic writing at Thu Dau Mot University (TDMU). A mixed-methods research design examined Technological Acceptance Model (TAM) factors including Perceived Usefulness (PU), Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU), Attitude towards Behavior (ATT), and Behavioral Intention (BI) with respect to understand importance of usability and perception in user adoption of AI's role in academic writing. The objective was to examine how AI affected the quality and originality of students' writing, and explore the opportunities and challenges they perceived. The sample comprised 212 second-year English-majored students, who demonstrated having the experience of using AI tools in academic writing. A questionnaire and an interview survey were used for data collection. The ten interview informants were randomly picked from the pool of respondents of the questionnaire. SPSS version 20 was used to statistically analyze the data, reliability testing and mean and standard deviation calculations. Findings indicate that Perceived Ease of Use positively affects Perceived Usefulness and Attitude towards Behavior, suggesting that ease of use enhances both the perceived benefits and favorable attitudes toward the system. Additionally, Perceived Usefulness positively influences Attitude, reinforcing that users who find the system helpful tend to develop a positive attitude toward it. These findings highlight the need for educators and policymakers to integrate AI tools in academic writing. Educators must emphasize AI as a support tool, not a replacement for student effort. Future research should examine the long-term impact of AI on students' skills and include lecturers' perspectives and diverse educational contexts.