University Students’ Willingness to Accept AI-Assisted Learning Environments in Bangladesh: Moderating Role of AI Awareness
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This research examines the predictors of university students’ willingness to accept AI-assisted learning environments in Bangladesh. This study particularly observes the moderating role of AI awareness (AIA) based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Perceived Risk Theory. This study used structured survey questionnaire for collecting data from 499 university students across various faculties i.e. Business, Science, and Social Sciences and analyzed the collected data using Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). For data analysis, this study applied Smart PLS version. The measurement model shown its fitness well to proceed further and the structural model also illustrated a robust fit (CFI = 0.948, RMSEA = 0.056) and explained 50.5% of the variance in Behavioral Intention to Use (R-square = 0.505). The results shows that the most influential determinant of AI adoption in education is performance expectancy, followed by social influence and effort expectancy. Conversely, there are some risk factors which affect this adoption negatively. Of them, functional risk played the most significant role along with psychological and social risks. This study also uniquely found the moderating effect of AI Awareness, which substantially amplifies the positive impacts of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence on the students’ use intention of AI-assisted learning environment. This study proposed an integrated model including AI awareness as moderator for understanding AI adoption in education at tertiary level, and suggested that, for AI-assisted learning to be successfully implemented in Bangladesh, institutional strategies must move beyond infrastructure provision to focus on AI literacy and risk-mitigation protocols.
Source: Research Square
Language: English
Subfield: Information Systems and Management
Field: Decision Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7156174986