The purpose of this study is to investigate the variables influencing the adoption of artificial intelligence among retail investors in South India, with a specific focus on the mediating role of belief in AI in the usage experience. The ‘Technology Acceptance Model’ (TAM) is the background of this research. Four hundred samples were gathered using a structured questionnaire in a selected state in South India. Of these 97, unsatisfactory samples were eliminated, leaving 303 genuine samples for analysis. ‘Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling’ (PLSEM) was used to examine the planned idea. The findings reveal that Perceived Functional Usefulness, Personalized Usefulness, and ease of use significantly affect the behavioural intention to adopt AI. Moreover, attitude towards AI acted as a mediating variable between these factors and intention to use AI. The intention to use something was primarily determined by people’s perceived usefulness and level of ease of use. Personalized usefulness had a positive influence, although not as intense. Data from people’s own reports is a limitation of the study. Self-report is often influenced by social desirability bias, which means people may exaggerate positive feelings or intentionally think to match socially acceptable responses. Factors like geographical context and AI security issues are the future scope of this study. The results are very useful for banks, investment firms, and policymakers planning to use AI in India and other places. In contributing to the extant literature, the study developed a country-specific framework and underlined the mediating influence of attitude on AI adoption.
K et al. (Fri,) studied this question.