Exploring the Influence of Technological Perceptions on the Adoption of AI Chatbots among Chinese College Students

This study used the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework to explore students' perceptions and adoption on artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, China. The study focused on three core elements: perceived trust (PT), perceived utility (PU), and perceived ease of use (PEU). It also examined how these beliefs together affected students' intentions to act and ultimately shaped their actual use of the technology. The research employed Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with survey data from 586 college students to evaluate the connections among the variables. The results indicate that students' intentions to use AI chatbots are significantly influenced by these three technical perception factors. Additionally, students' intentions to adopt mediate the relationship between technical perception and actual adoption. Ultimately, these results provide some useful theoretical ideas and practical steps for integrating AI tools into China's educational landscape.