ChatGPT Perceptions Among Undergraduate Students: A Technology Acceptance Model Study at the Higher Education Institutions of Nalut, Libya

Abstract

As generative artificial intelligence becomes embedded in higher education worldwide, understanding how students adopt these tools, alongside their moral and ethical concerns, matters more than ever. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study examines the behavioral intentions and perceived ethical risks of 260 Libyan undergraduate students at the University of Nalut and the High Institute of Science and Technology Nalut regarding the use of ChatGPT in their learning. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey and analyzed in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and by covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM). The analysis points to three findings. First, students show a “high intention to use, wary attitude” pattern, balancing enthusiasm for the technology against ethical concern. Second, perceived usefulness (PU) is the main driver of adoption, but it also raises concerns about academic integrity, pointing to the dual nature of AI in educational settings. Third, Libyan higher education institutions need clear, ethics-oriented frameworks to support responsible AI use. This study extends the TAM model to the educational context and provides empirical grounding for shaping ethical AI policy at Libyan universities. Because both participating institutions are located in the single region of Nalut, the findings are context-specific and should be read as indicative of that setting rather than as nationally representative of Libya.