Social Influence Identified as the Strongest Driver of Students’ ChatGPT Adoption for Academic Use
A research article by Prof. Nahid Shakib Kotamjani of the Central Asian University Business School has been published in Discover Education (Springer Nature), a Scopus-indexed Q2 journal.
The study, titled “Exploring Iranian University Students' Behavioral Intention to Use ChatGPT for Academic Purposes,” examines the factors influencing university students’ intention to use ChatGPT for academic activities. The research applies an extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework, incorporating trust and perceived risk as additional variables.
The findings reveal that social influence is the most significant predictor of students’ intention to use ChatGPT for academic purposes. The study also highlights the important role of trust in encouraging the adoption of AI-powered learning tools.
In contrast, perceived risk was found to have a relatively limited effect on students’ willingness to engage with ChatGPT in educational settings.
The research emphasizes the importance of AI literacy, trust-building, and the responsible integration of artificial intelligence technologies into higher education. As generative AI continues to transform teaching, learning, and research practices, understanding students’ perceptions and adoption behaviors remains essential for developing effective and ethical educational strategies.