IT Higher Education Teachers and Trust in AI-Enabled Ed-Tech: Implications For Adoption of AI in Higher Education (Research-In-Progress Paper)

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education encounters a myriad of inhibiting factors, notably the conspicuous absence of transparency, reliability issues, and ethical concerns. This problem has substantially impeded the assimilation of generative AI-enabled Educational Technology (Ed-Tech) within the higher education domain, unlike other fields such as finance, health, and management. The prevailing sentiment among higher education practitioners remains wavering, with differing opinions on whether to permit AI comprehensively, impose complete restrictions, or allow minimal integration into academic courses. This pilot study endeavors to elucidate the nuanced determinants influencing cognitive trust of Information Technology (IT) Higher Education instructors in AI-enabled educational Technology. The implications of this trust, or lack thereof, on the broader adoption of AI in higher education, constitute a focal point of investigation in this scholarly investigation.