To Use or Not to Use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Art Design? A Multigroup UTAUT2 Model Based on Motivation and Engagement Profiles

This research investigated the acceptance of the artificial intelligence (AI) art tool, Midjourney, among 970 Chinese artists and designers using the Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model and incorporating person-centered work motivation and engagement profiles. Path analysis of the entire sample showed strong explanatory power, accounting for over 60% of the variance in usage intention and behavior. Latent profile analysis of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations and engagement revealed two subgroups: the majority “Interested and Engaged”, and the minority “Disinterested and Disengaged”. As evidenced by multigroup comparison, the former exhibited significantly greater acceptance, recognizing Midjourney’s value in enhancing creative ideation, while the latter relied more on AI’s external utility for minimizing effort and providing pure hedonic satisfaction when establishing their acceptance attitudes and usage behaviors. The study advances AI-technology adoption theory in artistic contexts, introduces a novel methodology for multigroup UTAUT2 modeling with person-centered moderators, and provides practical insights for strategic collaboration between humans and AI to augment creativity.