Are users willing to embrace ChatGPT? Exploring the factors on the acceptance of chatbots from the perspective of AIDUA framework

Abstract

As a rapidly emerging generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT has garnered unprecedented global attention for its advanced AI-based text generation capabilities. However, the issue of ChatGPT acceptance requires further investigation. Prior studies on chatbot acceptance primarily focused on traditional technology acceptance models (TAMs) and did not consider the intelligence features of AI technology. Based on the AI device use acceptance (AIDUA) model and cognitive appraisal theory (CAT), this study proposed a research model to investigate the acceptance of ChatGPT. Participants with experience using ChatGPT were invited to take part in the survey. A total of 500 valid questionnaires were collected through the Credamo survey platform. Our findings reveal compelling associations: social influence, novelty value, and humanness positively correlate with performance expectations, while hedonic motivation, novelty value, and humanness negatively correlate with effort expectations. Both performance and effort expectations contribute to cognitive attitudes. Age, as a control variable, exhibits a significant negative impact on the willingness to reject ChatGPT. Notably, this study expands the current AIDUA framework within chatbot contexts by incorporating perspectives on novelty value, perceived humanness, and cognitive attitudes to examine chatbot acceptance. These insights offer practical implications for the design and development of AI-based chatbots, contributing to the evolving landscape of AI technology acceptance.