Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) tools are transforming scholarly practices worldwide, offering significant potential to enhance academic English writing, particularly in non-native English-speaking regions. However, their effective and ethical use remains a challenge in Moroccan higher education, with limited structured guidance, requiring pedagogical intervention. This study conducts a needs analysis case study to identify knowledge gaps and skill deficiencies among targeted Moroccan engineering students regarding the use of GAI in academic English writing. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through surveys and focus group interviews with 47 final-year undergraduate students in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses at an engineering school in Morocco. The findings reveal that while students appreciate the benefits of GAI tools, they face challenges related to prompt engineering, output evaluation, writing process, and ethical usage. Students also express uncertainty about plagiarism and proper attribution, highlighting a lack of structured guidance. These insights inform the development of a targeted ESP course designed to address these gaps, emphasizing AI-related foundational knowledge, practical writing strategies, and ethical considerations. This research contributes to the broader discourse on integrating AI into academic instruction and offers actionable recommendations for fostering efficient and responsible use of GAI in higher education.