Introduction Framed within the technology acceptance model, this study examines how multimodal literacy, self-efficacy, and university support affect students’ attitudes toward artificial intelligence tools and the students’ intentions to adopt them. Methods Survey data from 498 students were analyzed using PLS-SEM 4.0 and SPSS 29. Results The findings showed that the perceived usefulness of the AI tools was the strongest predictor of both attitude toward the tools and intention to use them. All three antecedent variables (multimodal literacy, self-efficacy, and university support) significantly impacted perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Discussion By integrating individual dimensions and also institutional dimensions into the technology acceptance model, this study offers fresh insight into how AI tools might take root more effectively in higher education.
Zhao et al. (2025) studied this question.