The predictors of behavioral intention to use ChatGPT for academic purposes: evidence from higher education in Somalia

ChatGPT, an AI chatbot created by OpenAI in November 2022, has caught the attention of scholars due to its potential in higher education. Despite its benefits in personalized learning, academic assistance, and task automation, concerns remain regarding its impact on students’ logical reasoning and academic integrity. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study explored the predictors of behavioral intention to use the ChatGPT (BIU) for academic purposes among university students in Mogadishu, Somalia. Using a cross-sectional quantitative design, we gathered data via an online survey of 299 students from four universities in Mogadishu, Somalia. Structural equation modeling with SmartPLS 4 was used to analyze the proposed relationships. The results uncovered that perceived usefulness, ease of use, social influence, hedonic motivation, and credibility have positively and significantly impacted students’ intention to use ChatGPT. Surprisingly, the findings depicted that perceived information accuracy negatively moderates the association between perceived ease of use and students’ behavioral intention to use ChatGPT. The study’s result implies that explicit guidelines should be established in Somali higher education to facilitate the proper utilization of ChatGPT, ensuring it improves learning while mitigating issues over information accuracy and academic integrity.