Research Article

Adoption and use of ChatGPT among university IT students: An exploratory study

Adán López-Mendoza 1 * , Ramón Ventura Roque-Hernández 1 , Rolando Salazar-Hernández 1
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1 Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Tamaulipas, MEXICO* Corresponding Author
Contemporary Educational Technology, 18(1), January 2026, ep624, https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/17864
Published: 04 February 2026
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ABSTRACT

Technological advancements, particularly those associated with artificial intelligence (AI), have significantly transformed the educational landscape. The ChatGPT tool, developed by OpenAI and launched in 2022, has garnered considerable interest from users globally. This study aims to characterize the perceptions of IT students regarding ChatGPT, exploring variations based on gender and employment status, while also examining the relationships between these perceptions, age, completed semesters, and usage intensity. A comprehensive literature review on AI, with a focus on the ChatGPT tool, was conducted. A questionnaire was distributed to 72 undergraduate IT students to assess their perceptions of ChatGPT usage. The questionnaire encompasses three key areas: confidence, intention to use, and current utilization of the tool. Findings indicate a weak to moderate correlation between the intensity of ChatGPT usage and the statement, “I am willing to make decisions based on ChatGPT recommendations.” Additionally, a weak relationship was observed between usage intensity and the perception that “ChatGPT is trustworthy in terms of reliability and credibility,” as well as between usage intensity and the willingness to use ChatGPT in the future.
Keywords: chatbot, artificial intelligence, educators, university students

CITATION (APA)

López-Mendoza, A., Roque-Hernández, R. V., & Salazar-Hernández, R. (2026). Adoption and use of ChatGPT among university IT students: An exploratory study. Contemporary Educational Technology, 18(1), ep624. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/17864

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