Listening comprehension remains a persistent challenge for non-English major students, often due to passive learning approaches, limited interactive engagement, and ineffective assessment methods. Traditional formative assessment lacks real-time feedback and adaptive mechanisms, hindering students’ ability to monitor progress and develop effective listening strategies. To address these drawbacks, the current study examines the implementation of an AI-integrated gamified formative assessment in enhancing listening comprehension among the 38 first-semester students at Universitas PGRI Delta Sidoarjo, a private university in East Java, Indonesia. Employing a sequential mixed-methods approach, data were collected from a closed-ended questionnaire measuring dimensions of engagement, motivation, and self-regulation, alongside structured interviews with six selected students to gain deeper insights. The findings reveal that the AI-integrated gamified platform fosters a more interactive and engaging learning experience, with students demonstrating increased autonomy and strategic listening behaviors. The instant feedback and adaptive challenges contributed to improved comprehension, particularly in recognizing key information and inferring meaning from context. However, some participants expressed difficulties in adapting to the dynamic nature of the platform, citing cognitive overload and challenges in managing time constraints within the game-based environment. Additionally, variations in AI-generated feedback quality occasionally led to confusion in interpreting certain listening tasks. These findings suggest that while AI-integrated gamification enhances listening comprehension, further refinements in feedback accuracy and cognitive load management are essential to optimize its pedagogical impact. The study provides critical insights for educators and developers in designing AI-driven gamified assessment tools that effectively support listening comprehension development for non-English majors.
