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The Role of Artificial Intelligence Autonomy in Higher Education: A Uses and Gratification Perspective

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  • Wanshu Niu

    (School of Business, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China)

  • Wuke Zhang

    (School of Business, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China)

  • Chuanxia Zhang

    (Department of Student Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China)

  • Xiaofeng Chen

    (College of Economics and Management, Zhejiang Agricultural and Forestry University, Hangzhou 310007, China)

Abstract

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, AI educators have become a reality. The advancement and increasing applications of AI technology in higher education not only provide more efficient tools for teachers in long-term and focused teaching, but also provide new active and independent spaces for sustainable self-motivated learning for college students. It is of great importance that the effects of AI educator design are understood to ensure the sustainable development and deployment of AI-driven courses at universities. This paper investigates the influences of AI educators’ autonomy design on students’ usage intentions by delving into how the artificial autonomy of AI educators satisfies students’ needs. Drawing on the uses and gratification (U&G) framework, we theoretically elaborate on how AI educator autonomy (i.e., sensing autonomy, thought autonomy, and action autonomy) influences students’ intentions to use an AI educator through the mediating effects of U&G benefits (i.e., information-seeking gratification, social interaction gratification, and entertainment gratification). By conducting an online survey (N = 673) on college students, we found that the sensing autonomy of AI educators is positively associated with usage intention due to the mediating effects of social interaction and entertainment gratifications; the thought autonomy of AI educators is positively related to usage intention, mediated by information-seeking and social interaction gratifications, and the action autonomy of AI educators is positively linked with usage intention through the paths of information-seeking and entertainment gratifications. Our findings provide both theoretical contributions and practical implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Wanshu Niu & Wuke Zhang & Chuanxia Zhang & Xiaofeng Chen, 2024. "The Role of Artificial Intelligence Autonomy in Higher Education: A Uses and Gratification Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-26, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:3:p:1276-:d:1332154
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Xinmei Kong & Haiguang Fang & Wenli Chen & Jianjun Xiao & Muhua Zhang, 2025. "Examining human–AI collaboration in hybrid intelligence learning environments: insight from the Synergy Degree Model," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Dr. Varsha Parikh & Ms. Jigyasha Deka, 2025. "Unlocking Potential: Systematic Review of Generative AI in Higher Education," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(5), pages 5513-5525, May.
    3. Roxani Polimerou & George Spais, 2025. "Εstablishing relationships between brands and customers via strategic social media chatbots for telecom goods and services," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 13(2), pages 328-370, June.

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