Exploring the impact of generative artificial intelligence on gastronomy and culinary arts education through an extended TAM framework.

Abstract

The integration of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) into higher education is transforming pedagogy, particularly in applied fields like Gastronomy and Culinary Arts (GCA). This study investigates the factors influencing GCA students’ intentions to use GAI tools, using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Constructs include perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude, perceived risk, innovativeness, and digital financial literacy. Data were gathered via an online survey from 541 associate and undergraduate GCA students in Türkiye and analyzed through ML-SEM. The findings show that perceived usefulness and ease of use have positive effects on student attitude and intention to use in the adoption of GAI technologies, while digital financial literacy and innovativeness significantly positively affect intention to use, and attitude mediates these relationships. The findings contribute to a more holistic understanding of the digitalization process of GCA education and deepen the theoretical understanding of the individual and cognitive processes involved.