Technostress and Technophobia: Unmasking the Impact of Coerced AI Adoption in Higher Education Institutions

ABSTRACT This article investigates the impact of coerced AI adoption on the psychological well‐being of academic staff within higher education institutions. Data were collected from a sample of 470 faculty members randomly selected from higher education institutions in Pakistan. An innovative hybrid SEM‐ANN analytical model, combining Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Artificial Neural Network Analysis (ANN), was employed to analyze the data. The results of the study uncover the profound psychological effects of coerced AI adoption on academic staff. Specifically, coerced AI adoption significantly amplifies technostress and technophobia among faculty members. Furthermore, a noteworthy finding is the identification of a reciprocal relationship between technostress and technophobia, with the latter often arising as a consequence of the former. Importantly, academic staff members with lower levels of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literacy demonstrate increased susceptibility to technostress. This research has critical implications for higher education institutions as it sheds light on the psychological challenges associated with coerced AI adoption. Recognizing the potential for exacerbated technostress and the emergence of technophobia among academic staff is essential for institutions seeking to implement AI technologies effectively.