The impact of Chinese undergraduates’ perceived acceptance of AI technology on academic achievement: the mediating role of critical thinking

Abstract

Introduction: Although AI has become an integral part of university students’ daily learning and career development, existing research rarely examines how students’ acceptance of AI technology influences the cultivation of their critical thinking abilities. This study emphasizes the impact of Chinese undergraduates’ perceived acceptance of AI technology (perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness) on academic achievement, alongside the mediating role of critical thinking. Methods: Utilizing a questionnaire survey, this study targets undergraduate students in Chinese universities, surveying 549 participants from 4 universities in China. Results: According to our study results, perceived usefulness of AI technology significantly and positively impacts the academic achievement (β = 0.117, p < 0.050) and critical thinking (β = 0.332, p < 0.001); perceived ease of use of AI technology significantly and positively impacts the academic achievement (β = 0.363, p < 0.001) and critical thinking, separately (β = 0.313, p < 0.001); critical thinking significantly and positively impacts academic achievement (β = 0.376, p < 0.001); critical thinking plays a partial mediating role between perceived usefulness of AI technology and academic achievement (0 is not included within the 95% confidence interval), and a full mediating role between perceived ease of use of AI technology and academic achievement (0 is not included within the 95% confidence interval). Discussion: All these results assist in more deeply comprehending learner behavior mechanisms in the era of generative AI, meanwhile contributing to theoretical support and practical insights for optimizing teaching strategies and enhancing talent development quality in universities under the context of intelligent technology. This study recommends that students use AI tools effectively while ensuring content reliability and strengthen critical thinking through questioning and practical application.