Innovativeness or Competence: A Self-Determination Theory Model of How Students Use Generative AI in Higher Education

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is a rapidly advancing field shaping various industries, including higher education. Despite its growing impact, the factors influencing student usage of GenAI tools have yet to be fully explored. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining how student personality characteristics influence the type of usage of GenAI such as idea generation or editing. The theoretical framework of self-determination theory was employed along with the Technology Readiness and Acceptance Model. Analysis of data from 448 respondents pan India using ordinal logit regression found that higher their perceived competence, the higher the likelihood of using GenAI for academics. Students high in innovativeness are more like to use GenAI for idea generation and cohesive structuring. These findings can contribute to designing effective course structures incorporating AI for academic assessment.