Modeling students’ perceptions of generative artificial intelligence: Awareness, use intentions, and fear of use among higher education students

Generative artificial intelligence is reshaping higher education worldwide, yet how students’ perceptions of these tools relate to one another remains unclear. This study examines the relationships between King Saud University students’ awareness and knowledge of generative artificial intelligence, their desire to use it, and their fear of using it, and whether these perceptions differ by gender, age, academic major, and level of study. Survey data from 652 students was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Awareness and knowledge were positively associated with fear, indicating that better-informed students perceive greater risk rather than less risk. The desire to use generative artificial intelligence had no significant effect on fear. Males reported a stronger desire to use generative artificial intelligence than females, while fear did not differ by gender. Awareness and fear differed significantly across age groups, levels of study, and academic majors. Training aimed solely at raising awareness may therefore not reduce students’ apprehension.