Table 4 Direct effects of anxiety and acceptance attitudes on the relationship between perception of and intention to use AI (N = 180)

Perception of AI (X) → Anxiety about AI (M1)

− 0.420

0.111

3.773

< 0.001

− 0.639

− 0.200

R =.272, R² = 0.074, F = 14.233, P <.001

Perception of AI (X) → Acceptance attitudes toward AI (M2)

0.541

0.100

5.424

< 0.001

0.344

0.738

Anxiety about AI (M1) → Acceptance attitudes toward AI (M2)

− 0.256

0.065

3.959

< 0.001

− 0.384

− 0.129

R =.507, R² = 0.257, F = 30.659, P <.001

Perception of AI (X) → Intention to use AI (Y)

0.280

0.091

3.068

0.002

0.100

0.460

Anxiety about AI (M1) → Intention to use AI (Y)

− 0.091

0.057

1.593

0.113

− 0.204

0.022

Acceptance attitudes toward AI (M2) → Intention to use AI (Y)

0.246

0.064

3.856

< 0.001

0.120

0.371

R =.495, R² = 0.245, F = 19.076, P <.001