FROM ADOPTION TO ACHIEVEMENT: THE ROLE OF AI LITERACY AND ACADEMIC INTEGRITY IN GENERATIVE AI USE AMONG INDONESIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is transforming higher education by enabling advanced automation and cognitive support; however, its educational and ethical impacts remain underexplored in developing contexts. This study investigates how GenAI use affects students’ academic performance in Indonesian universities through an Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) model that integrates AI Literacy and Academic Integrity as ethical-cognitive dimensions. Using survey data from 1589 students analyzed via Partial Least Squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), the model explained 63.7% of the variance in Behavioral Intention, 75.1% in Use Behavior, and 78.8% in Academic Performance.

The results revealed that Performance Expectancy (β = 0.294, p < 0.001) and Social Influence (β = 0.508, p < 0.001) significantly drive Behavioral Intention, while Habit (β = 0.352, p < 0.001), Facilitating Conditions (β = 0.176, p < 0.001), and AI Literacy (β = 0.224, p < 0.001) shape Use Behavior. Both Use Behavior (β = 0.519, p < 0.001) and AI Literacy (β = 0.358, p < 0.001) positively enhanced Academic Performance, confirming that the critical and skillful use of Gen AI leads to genuine learning gains. Moreover, Academic Integrity (β = 0.027, p = 0.015) significantly moderated the relationship between Use Behavior and Academic Performance, indicating that ethical commitment amplifies the educational value of Gen AI.

Theoretically, this study extends UTAUT2 by embedding ethical and cognitive constructs, offering a robust framework for explaining Gen AI-enabled learning outcomes. This calls for higher education institutions to embed AI literacy modules, establish ethics governance frameworks, and promote integrity-based policies to ensure responsible and performance-oriented AI adoption. Ultimately, the findings emphasize that Gen’s true educational value lies not merely in technological efficiency but in amplifying human intellect and moral responsibility through literate and ethical engagement.