Artificial Intelligence–Based Chabots’ and Nursing Students’ Academic Performance: The Mediating Role of Technophobia and Technophilia

AIM: This study aims to assess the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot usage on the academic performance of nursing students, focusing on the mediating roles of technophobia and technophilia. DESIGN: A cross-national, correlational design was utilized to explore the relationships among AI chatbot usage, technophobia, technophilia, digital competence, and academic performance among nursing students. METHODS: The study involved 550 nursing students from Egypt, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Data were collected via an online survey using the Technophobia Technophilia Questionnaire (TTQ) and the Students' Digital Competence Scale (SDiCoS). Multiple regression and mediation analyses were conducted to examine the direct and indirect effects of AI chatbot usage on academic performance, mediated by technophobia and technophilia. RESULTS: AI chatbot usage positively correlated with academic performance (β = 0.30, p < 0.001). Technophobia negatively affected academic performance (β = -0.12, p < 0.001), while technophilia positively influenced it (β = 0.11, p = 0.001). Both technophobia and technophilia significantly mediated the relationship between AI chatbot usage and academic performance. CONCLUSION: AI chatbots can be significantly associated with academic outcomes in nursing education. However, the benefits are mediated by students' attitudes toward technology, with technophobia hindering and technophilia facilitating educational success. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: Understanding the mediating effects of technophobia and technophilia can help educators tailor AI integration strategies in nursing curricula to optimize educational outcomes and prepare students for technologically advanced healthcare environments. IMPACT: This research highlights the importance of addressing psychological factors when implementing AI tools in education. While the study includes students from three different countries, they share similar regional, linguistic, and educational contexts. Thus, findings should be interpreted with caution regarding broader cultural generalizations. Further research in more diverse contexts is needed.