Key factors influencing intention to use ChatGPT: An empirical study of U.S. students

ChatGPT, a generative AI chatbot, has seen unprecedented adoption, yet the factors driving its acceptance among students remain underexplored. This study investigates key determinants of U.S. university students' intention to use ChatGPT in higher education. Drawing on the technology acceptance model, theory of reasoned action, and diffusion of innovation theory, survey data from 411 students were collected and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results indicate that perceived usefulness and subjective norm have significant positive effects on students' intention to use ChatGPT, and perceived ease of use and trust exert indirect effects through perceived usefulness. The model explains approximately 51 % of the variance in usage intention. As one of the first empirical studies on ChatGPT adoption in education, this research extends technology acceptance theories to generative AI and offers insights for theory and educational practice.