Extending UTAUT with task-technology fit and ethical awareness: the mediating role of perceived trust in AI adoption

Purpose The study aims to explore how the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) can be impacted using an integrative framework of Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Task Technology Fit (TTF) theory, considering student's ethical awareness (EA) as add on independent variable. The perceived trust (PT) has been taken as a mediating variable between UTUAT and usage intention (UI). Design/methodology/approach A total of 323 responses gathered from graduate and post-graduate students through an online structured questionnaire were analysed and the model was tested using PLS-SEM. Role of PT as mediator between effort expectancy (EE) and UI; performance expectancy (PE) and UI; social influence (SI) and UI was tested using Hayes' PROCESS Macro in SPSS. Findings PE, EE and facilitating conditions (FCs) had been found to have a positive influence on AI usage intention (AIUI), while SI does not significantly impact the intention to use AI. TTF has a significant influence on both PE and students' behaviour to use AI technologies. EA is crucial in influencing students' intentions to utilise AI technologies. PT has been found to significantly mediate the relationship between PE, EE, SI and students' intention to use AI as well as have a direct influence on AIUI. Originality/value This research significantly contributes to the academic literature on technology adoption by integrating the UTAUT with TTF and enhancing the model by adding EA as independent construct. Research contributes by considering the mediating role of PT in influencing the usage and adoption of AI technologies by students.