The Effect of Perceived Privacy Risk-Benefit Ratio on Intention to Discontinue Generative AI Use: Mediating Roles of Psychological Reactance and Information Avoidance

This study investigates users’ intention to discontinue using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) after adoption. Drawing on privacy calculus theory, we analyzed how the perceived privacy risk-benefit ratio influences this intention. A survey of 832 GenAI users revealed that a higher perceived risk-benefit ratio indirectly leads to information avoidance via psychological reactance. This chain of effects further contributes to the intention to discontinue use through the sequential mediation of psychological reactance and information avoidance. Our findings offer a novel perspective and empirical evidence within the privacy calculus framework for understanding GenAI discontinuance, highlighting the critical roles of psychological reactance and information avoidance in forming effective privacy strategies for AI.