Eudaimonic technology experience and attitudes towards artificial intelligence: Preliminary findings from Austria

With the increasing ubiquity of tools using artificial intelligence (AI) in our everyday lives, comprehending what psychological factors drive users’ attitudes towards AI is crucial. In the present study, we introduce eudaimonic technology experience (ETE) as a novel potential building block to better understand individuals’ attitudes towards AI and their usage of AI tools. Building on research in human-computer interaction and psychology, ETE has been conceptualized as the general perception of technology as a source of self-knowledge and motivation towards long-term aspirations. We report preliminary findings on the links between ETE, attitudes towards AI, and usage of contemporary AI tools in a representative sample from Austria (N = 280). First, based on confirmatory factor analyses, we establish goodness of fit for measures of ETE and AI attitudes in our sample. Second, we assess relationships between ETE, AI attitudes, and usage of contemporary AI tools. Our findings suggest (I) significant correlations of medium to large effect size between ETE and positive AI attitudes, and (II) significant correlations of medium effect size between ETE and usage of contemporary AI tools. We discuss the role of ETE in relationship with other psychological factors and AI attitudes and thereby outline next steps to shed further light on the nomological network around attitudes towards AI.