Exploring the determinants of AI tool adoption in Technical English learning: a PLS-SEM approach among polytechnic students

Technical English (TE) proficiency is crucial for the future careers of polytechnic students. While Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools offer significant potential to enhance language learning, their effectiveness relies on student acceptance and use. There is limited understanding of what drives polytechnic students to adopt these tools specifically for TE. This study aims to identify the key factors influencing polytechnic students' acceptance and use of AI tools in this context and employ a quantitative approach based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLSSEM) to analyze survey data collected from 100 Polytechnic Kota Bharu (PKB) students enrolled in TE courses. The research investigates core antecedents, primarily perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU), and their impact on students' behavioral intention (BI) to use AI tools. The potential influence of external factors such as social influence and lecturer support are examined. The study found PEOU was identified as a critical antecedent, which significantly positively affected PU and BI. The study reaffirmed the significant predictive power of BI on AU, indicating that students' stated intentions reliably translate into their subsequent usage behaviour. This research will offer practical recommendations for educators seeking to integrate AI tools effectively into TE instruction. Theoretically, this study contributes to understanding technology adoption within the specific domain of technical and vocational language education, providing valuable insights for leveraging AI to improve essential communication skills for aspiring technical professionals.