Evaluating designers’ acceptance of AI generated content using TAM and TRI frameworks

Artificial intelligence technology, based on big data algorithms, can replace much of the repetitive and rule-based work. However, whether AI can substitute the roles of artists or designers in the art and design industry, which prioritizes innovation and originality, remains a focal point of academic debate. This study, drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Technology Readiness Index (TRI), explores designers' acceptance of AIGC and analyzes their usage intentions and influencing factors. The findings reveal that: (1) Perceived ease of use and technology readiness are the primary factors affecting designers' adoption of AIGC, with technology readiness, representing personal traits, being particularly important. (2) Perceived usefulness has no significant impact on designers' intention to use AIGC, suggesting that AI technology's knowledge dissemination and skill training for users are largely complete. (3) Designers' traits of innovativeness, optimism, and insecurity are key antecedents, influencing their usage intention through perceived ease of use, with insecurity being the critical area for improvement. (4) The Technology Acceptance Model is one of the most explanatory models in promoting new technologies but requires adjustments and extensions when applied to the creative design field. This study theoretically integrates the objectivity of TAM with the subjectivity of TRI, providing a more comprehensive understanding of users' willingness and attitudes toward new technology, thereby offering theoretical support and empirical research for the integration of AI technology into the art and design industry.