A comprehensive model for AI adoption: Analysing key characteristics affecting user attitudes, intentions and use of ChatGPT in education

Background ChatGPT is transforming education by optimising academic tasks, improving efficiency and enhancing students’ ability to manage and organise their learning activities. The integration of this technology into higher education streamlines complex tasks and boosts academic productivity. Objective This paper explores the influence of task, technology and individual characteristics on attitudes towards using ChatGPT and the effect of these attitudes on the behavioural intentions of university students. This paper also examines how such intentions influence the actual use of new technologies, such as ChatGPT, in education. Methods A total of 237 participants were asked to complete an online questionnaire survey, and the collected data were analysed using Smart PLS. Results Results show that attitude towards the use of ChatGPT was positively correlated with task, technology and individual characteristics. Furthermore, the behavioural intention towards the use of ChatGPT was positively influenced by these attitudes, and the actual use of ChatGPT for education was positively related to such intention. Conclusions This paper contributes to the growing research on technology adoption by revealing the major factors that influence the utilisation of ChatGPT in education and by offering useful recommendations to teachers, technology developers and policymakers to enhance the integration of AI tools in learning.