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

Focusing on the generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools using large language models, the present research explores the individual factors impacting the low-income Koreans’ attitudes toward generative AI tools utilized to search for information (e.g., ChatGPT, Google Gemini, etc.). Specifically, we first examine whether low-income Korean individuals’ prior AI experience, perceived usefulness of AI, and general attitude toward AI influence their 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 (n = 770). 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 AI mediates 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) the prior 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.