Continuous interaction intention determinants with generative AI apps: evidence from SWANA tourism and hospitality colleges

Purpose This paper aims to explore psychological antecedents that explain the tendency to remain highly involved with generative artificial intelligence (GAI) apps in tourism and hospitality education. Specifically, it analyzes escapism and social presence as serial mediation in the relationship between visual appeal and continuous interaction intention. Moreover, it compares cohort generational differences of GenX and GenY faculty members in six countries (i.e. the UAE, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco). Design/methodology/approach This paper adopted a cross-sectional design to collect empirical data per the agreed-upon methodological principles. Hence, 1,381 GenZ respondents and 1,106 GenY faculty members in tourism and hospitality colleges were gathered and analyzed to test the hypothesized linkages. Further, a multigroup analysis (MGA) was conducted to explain generational differences between the two samples. Findings Results found that visual appeal positively affected continuous interaction intention among GenX faculty members, mediated sequentially by social presence and escapism. On the other hand, the GenY group did not reveal pronounced mediation effects. MGA results also indicated that path coefficients significantly differed in favor of the GenX faculty member sample. Therefore, these findings suggest that GenX faculty members have a higher level of psychological involvement in applying GAI and enjoy deeper continuous interaction with such technologies. Practical implications This paper provides valuable insights for developers and academic institutions that intend to create and commercialize GAI tools that cater to generation-specific faculty member needs. Different design patterns can be more suitable for various age groups of faculty members. Socially focused GAI app interfaces with immersion capabilities could be attractive to those of middle age, whereas streamlined, utilitarian designs could be more suitable to younger faculty members. At the institutional level, policymakers should implement simulation training models consistent with various generations’ technological skills and pedagogical styles. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to use a generational approach to discussing the psychological roots of continuous interaction intention with GAI apps in tourism and hospitality higher education. Intergenerational differences can be a subtle discourse of the conceptual framework of interacting visual, social and emotional indicators, defining emerging technology usage in academic settings.