Understanding the factors that drive AI adoption among sports consumers – an extended TAM perspective

Purpose This paper explores the factors driving the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the sports industry from a passive sports consumer perspective. Grounded in an extended Technology Acceptance Model, the study investigates how perceived benefits and perceived ease of use affect sports consumers’ intention to use AI. The study also examines social influence, personal innovativeness in IT (PIIT) and team identification as antecedents of perceived benefits and perceived ease of use. Design/methodology/approach A survey-based quantitative research design was employed, gathering responses from 639 sports consumers aged 18–60. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings The study finds that perceived benefits and ease of use are key drivers of consumers’ intention to use AI. While social influence and PIIT both influence perceived benefits and perceived ease of use, PIIT also has a direct impact on intention to use AI. Team identification impacts perceived benefits and moderates the link between ease of use and intention to use AI. Findings also indicate generational differences. Research limitations/implications A primary limitation of this study lies in the broad and evolving scope of AI. AI encompasses a diverse range of technologies and applications, which makes it difficult to anticipate all possible future uses in the context of consumer engagement in sports. This research focused on a specific subset of AI-powered tools, including virtual assistants, chatbots, match predictions, information retrieval systems, content personalization and statistical analysis aimed at enhancing consumer knowledge. Practical implications AI applications should be both beneficial and easy to use, offering personalized content and intuitive interfaces to appeal to mainstream and less tech-savvy users. Social influence plays a key role, so embedding AI tools within trusted supporter communities can boost acceptance. Tailored strategies should also account for preferences of different target groups. Crucially, AI tools must reinforce emotional team connections while respecting traditional fan experiences to foster engagement, loyalty and broad-based adoption. Originality/value This study contributes to contemporary research by assessing AI adoption in the sports industry from a consumer perspective, integrating their psychological attachment into the TAM. Practically, the results provide sports organizations with tailored strategies to enhance consumer engagement through intuitive, personalized and socially endorsed AI applications.