The growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT in academic writing is reshaping how students ideate, organize, and refine their work in higher education. While these tools offer efficiencies and can elevate the quality of writing, they also pose risks to students’ intellectual independence and critical thinking. Overreliance on AI may suppress original thought and reduce students' engagement with the creative and analytical dimensions of writing. To address this, the study presents a literature-based investigation of how AI and human intelligence (HI) intersect in academic writing. It explores AI’s influence on cognitive processes, authorship, and the development of academic arguments. Based on this review, the study proposes a conceptual framework that supports the balanced integration of AI and HI. This framework aims to preserve the integrity of students’ ideas while leveraging AI for support and enhancement. The proposed framework serves as a foundation for instructional design and further empirical research on guiding students to navigate the evolving relationship between AI tools and original academic thought. By proposing a framework for integrating AI and human intelligence, this study offers insights into how both educators and students can navigate the evolving landscape of academic writing with AI tools.