Prior AI Experience and Attitude toward Generative AI Tools among Low-Income Individuals in South Korea:A Serial Mediation Model

There has been significant attention on the progress of artificial intelligence (AI).Focusing on the generative AI tools using large language models, the present research exploresthe individual factors impacting the low-income Koreans’attitudes toward generative AI toolssuch as ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Specifically, we first examine whether low-income Korean individuals’prior AI experience, perceived usefulness of AI, and general attitude toward AIinfluencetheir attitudes toward generative AI tools (RQ1). Second, we examine whether the prior AI experience affects the attitude toward generative AI tools via the perceived usefulness of AI (RQ2). Third, we examine whether the prior AI experience influences the attitude toward generative AI tools via the general attitude toward AI (RQ3). Fourth, we examine whether the relationship between prior AI experience and attitude toward generative AI tools is serially mediated by the perceived usefulness of AI and general attitude toward AI (RQ4). To answer the research questions, we conducted a hierarchical multiple regression analysis and a mediation analysis using the low-income Koreans who were aware of the generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini. The results indicate that (1) both the perceived usefulness of AI and general attitude toward AI are positively associated with the attitude toward generative AI tools; (2) the perceived usefulness of AImediates the relationship between the prior AI experience and the attitude toward generative AI tools; (3) the indirect effect of prior AI experience on the attitude toward generative AI tools, via the general attitude toward AI, is not statistically significant; and (4) theprior AI experience influences the attitude toward generative AI tools through a sequential process of the perceived usefulness of AI and general attitude toward AI. The findings provide important implications to enhance the attitude toward generative AI tools.