Acceptance and use of ChatGPT in the academic community

Abstract

Since OpenAI released ChatGPT, the discussion on its usage in education has been conducted by students and teachers of every education level. Also, many studies have been performed on the tool’s possibilities and the threats related to its usage, such as incomplete or inaccurate information obtained or even plagiarism. Many universities worldwide have introduced specific regulations on ChatGPT usage in academic work. Furthermore, research on using ChatGPT by students and their attitudes towards it has appeared. However, a research gap exists in higher education teachers’ acceptance of AI solutions. The goal of this research was to explore the level of acceptance of the usage of ChatGPT by academics in Poland, as well as point out factors influencing their intention to use this tool. The study motivation was related to an ongoing academic discussion mainly focusing on the disadvantages of AI solutions used in scientific work and the willingness to fill the gap by showing teachers’ attitudes toward AI. The data was collected online by inviting academic teachers from Polish public universities to complete the prepared survey. The survey was prepared using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) model extended with Personal Innovativeness. It revealed the acceptance level of ChatGPT usage in Polish universities by teachers and researchers and the antecedents influencing willingness to use this technology in academic work. The paper contributes to the theory of AI usage by structuring the studies regarding ChatGPT application for teaching and research, and provides practical recommendations on ChatGPT adoption in the work of academics.