The prevalence of ChatGPT in academia forms the genesis of this study’s goal of researching its adoption. Educators reported that students struggle to account for the ethical dimensions of AI chatbot assistance, and this research elucidates the factors influencing students’ usage of ChatGPT for academic purposes. The majority of publications about higher education in the AI sector take a look at the problem superficially. This study investigates the factors influencing ChatGPT usage among university students by focusing on two key antecedents: awareness and knowledge application. It examines the outcomes of ChatGPT usage, encompassing its impact on students’ perceptions of ethics, plagiarism risk, and intention to use ChatGPT for future study. The data gathered from 350 students at private universities in Spain were analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), and it was confirmed that awareness and knowledge application significantly predict ChatGPT usage. ChatGPT usage mediates the relationships between awareness, knowledge application, and students’ intention to continue using it, and it also influences students’ perceptions of ethics and plagiarism risks, highlighting ChatGPT’s role in shaping ethical considerations and concerns vis-à-vis academic integrity. The results offer valuable insights into integrating AI-related applications in higher education and provide practical recommendations for effectively incorporating digital technologies in higher education environments.
Olga Kanashina (Thu,) studied this question.