IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/teinso/v84y2026ics0160791x25003276.html

AI adoption and digital entrepreneurial intentions: A theory of planned behaviour and technology acceptance model approach

Author

Listed:
  • Sharma, Asmita
  • Goel, Anushka
  • Taneja, Udita

Abstract

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform conventional business models, stimulate innovation, and generate new entrepreneurial prospects, its adoption is becoming increasingly important for the growth and success of digital entrepreneurship. This study examines the influence of AI adoption on the digital entrepreneurial intentions of the youth. The theoretical framework integrates the constructs of the Technology Acceptance Model and the Theory of Planned Behaviour, along with digital innovativeness and risk propensity. The Technology Acceptance Model explains how perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of AI technologies shape individuals' intentions to adopt AI. The Theory of Planned Behaviour assesses how attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control influence intentions to pursue digital entrepreneurship. This research also examines the moderating effects of digital entrepreneurial self-efficacy on the relationship between attitude and digital entrepreneurial intention. Structural equation modelling was employed on a sample of 392 participants aged 18–29 years. The results show that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and digital innovativeness positively impact AI adoption, which in turn enhances attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. Risk propensity influences perceived behavioural control, while attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control significantly impact digital entrepreneurial intention. This research advances theoretical understanding of AI's role in digital entrepreneurship and offers practical insights for educational institutions, policymakers, and businesses.

Suggested Citation

  • Sharma, Asmita & Goel, Anushka & Taneja, Udita, 2026. "AI adoption and digital entrepreneurial intentions: A theory of planned behaviour and technology acceptance model approach," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:84:y:2026:i:c:s0160791x25003276
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103137
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160791X25003276
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103137?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ritu Agarwal & Jayesh Prasad, 1998. "A Conceptual and Operational Definition of Personal Innovativeness in the Domain of Information Technology," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 9(2), pages 204-215, June.
    2. Zeinab Zaremohzzabieh & Bahaman Abu Samah & Mahazan Muhammad & Siti Zobidah Omar & Jusang Bolong & Salleh Bin Hj Hassan & Hayrol Azril Mohamed Shaffril, 2016. "Information and Communications Technology Acceptance by Youth Entrepreneurs in Rural Malaysian Communities: The Mediating Effects of Attitude and Entrepreneurial Intention," Information Technology for Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(4), pages 606-629, October.
    3. Ajzen, Icek, 1991. "The theory of planned behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 179-211, December.
    4. Jeni L. Burnette & Jeffrey M. Pollack & Rachel B. Forsyth & Crystal L. Hoyt & Alexandra D. Babij & Fanice N. Thomas & Anthony E. Coy, 2020. "A Growth Mindset Intervention: Enhancing Students’ Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy and Career Development," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 44(5), pages 878-908, September.
    5. Francisco Liñán & Yi–Wen Chen, 2009. "Development and Cross–Cultural Application of a Specific Instrument to Measure Entrepreneurial Intentions," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 33(3), pages 593-617, May.
    6. Wenjuan Fan & Jingnan Liu & Shuwan Zhu & Panos M. Pardalos, 2020. "Investigating the impacting factors for the healthcare professionals to adopt artificial intelligence-based medical diagnosis support system (AIMDSS)," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 294(1), pages 567-592, November.
    7. Md. Emam Hossain & Subarna Biswas, 2024. "Technology acceptance model for understanding consumer’s behavioral intention to use artificial intelligence based online shopping platforms in Bangladesh," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 4(12), pages 1-61, December.
    8. Rajak, Manindra & Shaw, Krishnendu, 2021. "An extension of technology acceptance model for mHealth user adoption," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    9. Agus Wibowo & Ari Saptono & Bagus Shandy Narmaditya & Mohammad Sofwan Effendi & Saparuddin Mukhtar & Suparno & Muhammad Hakimi Mohd Shafiai, 2024. "Using technology acceptance model to investigate digital business intention among Indonesian students," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(1), pages 2314253-231, December.
    10. Michael Gofman & Zhao Jin, 2024. "Artificial Intelligence, Education, and Entrepreneurship," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 79(1), pages 631-667, February.
    11. Krzysztof Wach & Liwiusz Wojciechowski, 2016. "Entrepreneurial Intentions of Students in Poland in the View of Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour," Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review, Centre for Strategic and International Entrepreneurship at the Cracow University of Economics., vol. 4(1), pages 83-94.
    12. Clyde Eiríkur Hull & Yu-Ting Caisy Hung & Neil Hair & Victor Perotti & Richard DeMartino, 2007. "Taking advantage of digital opportunities: a typology of digital entrepreneurship," International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 4(3), pages 290-303.
    13. Davidsson, Per & Sufyan, Muhammad, 2023. "What does AI think of AI as an external enabler (EE) of entrepreneurship? An assessment through and of the EE framework," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).
    14. Minh Pham & Anh Tuyet Thi Nguyen & Duy Thien Tran & Tam Toai Mai & Vinh Trung Nguyen, 2023. "The impact of entrepreneurship knowledge on students' e-entrepreneurial intention formation and the moderating role of technological innovativeness," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-30, December.
    15. Katharina Fellnhofer & Susan Mueller, 2018. "“I Want to Be Like You!”: The Influence of Role Models on Entrepreneurial Intention," Journal of Enterprising Culture (JEC), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 26(02), pages 113-153, June.
    16. Pillai, Rajasshrie & Sivathanu, Brijesh & Dwivedi, Yogesh K., 2020. "Shopping intention at AI-powered automated retail stores (AIPARS)," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    17. Heba Younis & Marios Katsioloudes & Anas Al Bakri, 2020. "Digital Entrepreneurship Intentions of Qatar University Students Motivational Factors Identification: Digital Entrepreneurship Intentions," International Journal of E-Entrepreneurship and Innovation (IJEEI), IGI Global Scientific Publishing, vol. 10(1), pages 56-74, January.
    18. Lu, Ke & Xu, Yuan, 2024. "The continuance behavioral intention to adopt electrified ride-sourcing: Empirical evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    19. Short, Cole E. & Short, Jeremy C., 2023. "The artificially intelligent entrepreneur: ChatGPT, prompt engineering, and entrepreneurial rhetoric creation," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 19(C).
    20. Yogesh K. Dwivedi, 2025. "Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in entrepreneurial education and practice: emerging insights, the GAIN Framework, and research agenda," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-21, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Anna Kusetogullari & Huseyin Kusetogullari & Martin Andersson & Tony Gorschek, 2025. "GenAI in Entrepreneurship: a systematic review of generative artificial intelligence in entrepreneurship research: current issues and future directions," Papers 2505.05523, arXiv.org.
    2. Ferreira, Joao J. & Fernandes, Cristina I. & Veiga, Pedro Mota & Caputo, Andrea, 2022. "The interactions of entrepreneurial attitudes, abilities and aspirations in the (twin) environmental and digital transitions? A dynamic panel data approach," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    3. Elsy Lediana & Tomy Perdana & Yosini Deliana & Tuhpawana P. Sendjaja, 2023. "Sustainable Entrepreneurial Intention of Youth for Agriculture Start-Up: An Integrated Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-19, January.
    4. Yushun Su & Zeren Zhu & Jingwen Chen & Yuanqing Jin & Ting Wang & Chien-Liang Lin & Danying Xu, 2021. "Factors Influencing Entrepreneurial Intention of University Students in China: Integrating the Perceived University Support and Theory of Planned Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-17, April.
    5. António Porfírio, José & Augusto Felício, José & Carrilho, Tiago & Jardim, Jacinto, 2023. "Promoting entrepreneurial intentions from adolescence: The influence of entrepreneurial culture and education," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    6. Alalwan, Ali Abdallah & Baabdullah, Abdullah M. & Rana, Nripendra P. & Tamilmani, Kuttimani & Dwivedi, Yogesh K., 2018. "Examining adoption of mobile internet in Saudi Arabia: Extending TAM with perceived enjoyment, innovativeness and trust," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 100-110.
    7. Riffat Ara Zannat Tama & Md Mahmudul Hoque & Ying Liu & Mohammad Jahangir Alam & Mark Yu, 2023. "An Application of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to Examining Farmers’ Behavioral Attitude and Intention towards Conservation Agriculture in Bangladesh," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-22, February.
    8. Bogdan Marculescu & Laura Brancu & Grațiela Georgiana Noja & Simona Mirela Cristea & Marius Ioan Pantea, 2025. "Entrepreneurial Intentions in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Psychological and Demographic Factors," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(6), pages 18612-18647, December.
    9. Jeeyeon Jeong & Yaeri Kim & Taewoo Roh, 2021. "Do Consumers Care About Aesthetics and Compatibility? The Intention to Use Wearable Devices in Health Care," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, August.
    10. Anca-Otilia Dodescu & Elena-Aurelia Botezat & Alexandru Constăngioară & Ioana-Crina Pop-Cohuţ, 2021. "A Partial Least-Square Mediation Analysis of the Contribution of Cross-Campus Entrepreneurship Education to Students’ Entrepreneurial Intentions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-26, August.
    11. Walker, Benjamin R. & Jackson, Chris J. & Sovereign, Genevieve, 2020. "Disinhibition predicts both psychopathy and entrepreneurial intentions," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 14(C).
    12. Amit Shankar & Biplab Datta, 2018. "Factors Affecting Mobile Payment Adoption Intention: An Indian Perspective," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 19(3_suppl), pages 72-89, June.
    13. Gansser, Oliver Alexander & Reich, Christina Stefanie, 2021. "A new acceptance model for artificial intelligence with extensions to UTAUT2: An empirical study in three segments of application," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    14. Meoli, Azzurra & Fini, Riccardo & Sobrero, Maurizio & Wiklund, Johan, 2020. "How entrepreneurial intentions influence entrepreneurial career choices: The moderating influence of social context," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(3).
    15. Tsai, Pei-Hsuan & Tang, Jia-Wei & Ou, Mei-Ling, 2024. "Applying the extended UTAUT-2 to assess the factors contributing to consumers’ usage intention towards over-the-top video streaming platforms," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    16. Xinlu Wen & Marios Sotiriadis & Shiwei Shen, 2023. "Determining the Key Drivers for the Acceptance and Usage of AR and VR in Cultural Heritage Monuments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-24, February.
    17. Nkosinathi Henry Mothibi & Mmakgabo Justice Malebana & Edward Malatse Rankhumise, 2025. "Determinants of Entrepreneurial Behaviour Among Vocational College and University Students in Gauteng, South Africa: A Theory of Planned Behaviour Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-21, May.
    18. Yaprak, Ümit & Kılıç, Fatih & Okumuş, Abdullah, 2021. "Is the Covid-19 pandemic strong enough to change the online order delivery methods? Changes in the relationship between attitude and behavior towards order delivery by drone," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    19. Tantawy, Maha & Herbert, Kendall & McNally, Jeffrey J. & Mengel, Thomas & Piperopoulos, Panagiotis & Foord, David, 2021. "Bringing creativity back to entrepreneurship education: Creative self-efficacy, creative process engagement, and entrepreneurial intentions," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 15(C).
    20. Attié, Elodie & Meyer-Waarden, Lars, 2022. "The acceptance and usage of smart connected objects according to adoption stages: an enhanced technology acceptance model integrating the diffusion of innovation, uses and gratification and privacy calculus theories," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:84:y:2026:i:c:s0160791x25003276. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/technology-in-society .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.