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Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 2026, 9(3); doi: 10.25236/AJHSS.2026.090311.

A Study on the Willingness to Use GenAI and Its Influencing Factors among Higher Education Groups Based on the UTAUT Model

Author(s)

Qiu Xiali1, Wang Xiaofeng1, Rong Yujie1, Feng Tianyang1, Qin Fanfan1

Corresponding Author:
Wang Xiaofeng
Affiliation(s)

1School of Economics and Management, Suqian University, No. 399 Huanghe South Road, Suqian, China

Abstract

To investigate the willingness to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) among higher education populations and its core influencing factors, this study constructs an extended research model based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), integrating core variables from the Technology Readiness Index (TRI). A survey was conducted via the Wenjuanxing platform targeting full-time junior college, undergraduate, and graduate students in China, yielding 370 valid responses. SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0 were employed for reliability and validity testing, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling validation. The results indicate that performance expectations and effort expectations exert a significant positive influence on GenAI usage intention; inadaptiveness and insecurity exert a significant positive effect on usage intention; convenient conditions positively exert a significant impact on usage intention. This study expands the application boundaries of the UTAUT model, reveals the formation mechanism of GenAI usage intention among higher education populations, and provides empirical references for technology developers to optimize products, for universities to regulate technology application, and for students to use GenAI appropriately.

Keywords

Generative Artificial Intelligence, Higher Education Population, Usage Intention, UTAUT Model, Technology Readiness Index

Cite This Paper

Qiu Xiali, Wang Xiaofeng, Rong Yujie, Feng Tianyang, Qin Fanfan. A Study on the Willingness to Use GenAI and Its Influencing Factors among Higher Education Groups Based on the UTAUT Model. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2026), Vol. 9, Issue 3: 72-80. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2026.090311.

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