Assessing structural relationships in pre-service preschool teachers’ perceived AI readiness: Do emotional and psychological aspects matter?

Preschool pre-service teachers need to be prepared for the age of artificial intelligence (AI) as part of the teaching force; however, much research is still needed in this area. This study aimed to explore the structural relationships in pre-service preschool teachers' perceived AI readiness, focusing on AI literacy, AI anxiety, AI confidence and AI relevance. The study involved 194 participants from seven universities in Taiwan. Data were analysed using SmartPLS software through partial least squares structural equation modelling. The results confirmed that the constructed model was a good fit for the data, with the adapted questionnaire showing adequate reliability and convergent validity. Key findings highlight the crucial mediating roles of preschool teachers’ AI confidence and AI relevance in connecting their AI literacy to their AI readiness. This suggests that a cognitive understanding of AI does not directly translate into a readiness to use AI without including emotional engagement and perceived usefulness. Moreover, the study identified AI anxiety as a significant negative predictor of AI readiness among preschool teachers. This study uniquely contributes by clarifying how emotional and cognitive dimensions interact structurally, thus guiding targeted interventions in teacher preparation. Implications for practice or policy: Teacher training programmes should enhance AI literacy and build AI confidence. Educators need to address AI anxiety to improve readiness. AI relevance must be demonstrated for practical classroom applications. Early childhood educators should integrate emotional engagement with AI teaching. Policymakers should support AI readiness initiatives in teacher education.