Understanding the Adoption of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism: An Empirical Study in Vietnam

This study examines the factors influencing Vietnamese journalists' adoption of Artificial Intelligence in journalism. Drawing on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework, it hypothesizes that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, behavioral intention, trust, regulatory support, and technology affinity and incorporating additional trust, regulatory support, and technology affinity have significant impacts on journalists' adoption of technology. Questionnaires were administered to 238 journalists in the context of the Vietnamese press. The findings showed the significant impact of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, behavioral intention, trust, regulatory support, and technology affinity on journalists' adoption of AI in journalism. These results expand the UTAUT framework and offer a more comprehensive understanding of technology adoption in journalism. Practically, the study provides valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers in the journalism industry. Understanding the determinants of journalists' adoption can inform the development of targeted interventions, training programs, and regulatory frameworks to facilitate the integration of AI technologies into journalistic practices. However, the study has limitations, and future research should replicate the findings in diverse cultural and organizational contexts while considering additional moderating factors. This research investigates why Vietnamese journalists increasingly use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their work. Journalism AI can range from automated news writing to the analysis of large datasets for investigative reporting. This study is based on a well-established model, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), which helps us understand how and why people decide to use new technologies. In simple terms, the study examined various factors that might influence a journalist's decision to use AI. These factors include Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, Facilitating Conditions, Behavioral intention, Trust, Regulatory Support, and Technology Affinity. The researchers surveyed 238 Vietnamese journalists to understand these factors. They found that all of these factors significantly impact whether journalists decide to use AI. For example, if journalists trust AI and find it easy to use, they are more likely to adopt it in their work. Similarly, if they see others using AI and have the necessary support and resources, they are encouraged to use it. These findings are important because they help us understand what encourages journalists to use AI. This information is valuable for those who train journalists, develop journalism technology, or make policies related to media and technology. By understanding what influences journalists' decisions, they can create better training programs, develop user-friendly AI tools, and create supportive policies. While this study offers valuable insights, it is specific to the Vietnamese context. The authors suggest that future research should examine different countries and consider other factors that might influence the use of AI in journalism. This will help build a more global understanding of how AI is changing journalism worldwide.