AI-driven technological application, study engagement, and entrepreneurial career intentions of vocational business students in Nigerian universities

The authors of the study observed in the literature that there are few empirical evidence supporting entrepreneurial process, regarding how study engagement serves as the potential mechanism in explaining the association between Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology application and entrepreneurial career intentions. Therefore, the purpose of the study is broken down into two: (a) to examine the relationship between use of AI technology, study engagement and entrepreneurial career intentions; and (b) to examine the indirect association between use of AI technology and entrepreneurial career intentions through study engagement. A non-experimental quantitative design was used to achieve the aim of the study. Undergraduate vocational business students, currently attending government-owned universities in South-South, Nigeria were used as participants for the study. Total population sampling was used to select all final-year undergraduate vocational business students for the study. Instruments were adapted from the literature, with a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 = totally disagree to 5 = totally agree. Cronbach’s alpha was used to calculate the reliability and internal consistency of the items within the instruments and variables, which yielded the coefficient alpha values of 0.95 for AI technology, 0.92 for study engagement, and 0.91 for entrepreneurial career intentions. Data were analyzed with Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis, Correlations, Regressions, Mean and Standard Deviation. The findings showed a significant positive association between the study variables. The findings also revealed that study engagement demonstrated a significant indirect association in the relationship between AI technology application and entrepreneurial career intentions. The findings have important implications for entrepreneurship theory and practice.