Making Students “Safe” Writers with the SAFE Model in the Age of AI

University students can develop opinion -writing skills through strong argumentative reasoning, while technological advancements should support high -quality text production without relying too heavily on AI text -generating tools. This study investigates students’ responses regarding the challenges and needs in writing argumentation -based opinion texts. Data were collected through a questionnaire administered to 97 students enrolled in the Indonesian Language Education Study Program in West Java, Indonesia. Data analysis employed percentage calculations based on the 6+1 Traits of Writing framework, encompassing ideas, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation. Argumentative reasoning was examined using the framework of claim, evidence, and reasoning. The findings reveal that students experience the greatest difficulty in writing conventions, while weaknesses in argumentative reasoning are primarily related to the presentation of evidence. To address these challenges, this study integrates the 6+1 Traits of Writing with an argumentation--based reasoning framework to develop the SAFE writing instruction model, consisting of Surveying, Arguing, Framing -Writing, and Editing. The SAFE model utilizes artificial intelligence as scaffolding in the writing process and responds to debates on text ownership in Generative Artificial Intelligence by positioning students as the primary agents of text production.