International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

Educator Readiness on AI Adoption in Rural Sambalpur: An Investigation using UTAUT

This paper is an attempt to understand how Artificial Intelligence applications like Chat-GPT, Quillbot, Deepseek and others have got into the teaching lives of educators of Sambalpur, Odisha. The study utilizes Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model to identify and assess the AI-acceptance process of the educators of Sambalpur district. Using a stratified random sampling the data was collected from each block of the district ensuring equal representation and increasing probability of generalization of the results. The focus of the study is on different factors namely; their operating environment, conditions and training facilities available to them and their surroundings including their colleagues which affect the perception and intention to use these trending AI-tools in their educational activities and it was revealed that AI integration in their educational activities is influenced by Challenges and Support Needs, Pedagogical Integration and Concerns, Interest and Resistance to AI Training, Technological Readiness and Familiarity, Institutional Support and Concerns and Resistance to Traditional Subjects and Innovations. It also revealed that behavioural intention to use these AI-tools need not necessarily lead to actual use of these tools and other external factors also affect the usage.